Your Lucky Night
by FrostedCullen
Summary: Alicia, an unwilling participant in the lives of the 'Sons' is desperate for her old life back. Will she get what she wants or will a series of events outside of her control forever entwine their lives? R&R Please. xx Being rewritten, slowly xx
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer :- As repetitive as these things go it should all be obvious, but just in case it is not I do not own anything pertaining to The Covenant. I don't not earn anything from writing this. I do however claim ownership of my O/C's and the plot that I puppeteer them to.

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"Okay Nicky, I'm out of here, remember if you need me to cover tomorrow, call me. If not I'll see you Friday", the tall boyish red head called out, straining to be heard over the pandemonium that was Nicky's. Idly fingering the handful of folded notes in her pocket, she felt a smug satisfaction knowing it was earned off her own back.

"Remind me why you work here? If your folks were mine I would be living my weekends up in the city, or Salem at least" the burly man called back.

"Come on Nick...I thought you knew me...My only purpose here is too piss off mummy and daddy. Their darling only daughter is seventeen and working in bar...that little fact does not go down well at the country club. Maybe they'll think better of it the next time they try to hide me in some private school in the middle of nowhere. Beside you know I secretly want you Nick".

"Ha Ha, funny" the goateed man dead panned "We should be fine tomorrow, rumour has it there is another party at the Dells so it should be a quiet night, you should go, let your hair down Alicia".

"Now you're trying to be funny" she snorted, "Alright I'm gone; I'll see you next week".

After a brief wave to the remaining harassed staff, Alicia thanked her lucky stars that she was finally headed back to her dorm, the appeal of a scolding shower practically had her salivating; the stink of stale beer was getting harder and harder to wash away. Her master plan however was somewhat spectacularly thwarted by the large black hummer, embedded in to the hood of her car.

"Mother fucking son of a bitch" she cursed, startling a couple mid coitus against the side wall of Nicky's bar, "Fucking hell get a room" she yelled at them disgustedly before stomping back up the steps and back into Nicky's.

Quickly locating her employer she allowed her fury and annoyance to fill her voice, "Hey Nicky, do you know what sack of shit owns that fucki-…Whoa! What the hell…" Alicia hissed; her vehemence quickly forgotten; as her skirt unceremoniously flew into the air. A la Monroe. Turning quickly on her heel she saw the group who were undoubtedly responsible; the varying stages of mirth and the small stack of notes on their table giving them away. Hotly throwing them a glare, and promising herself she would get to them later she muttered under her breath before turning her attention back to Nicky; who was still looking at her,

"Assholes…anyway as I was saying, do you know what prick owns that black hummer out front, they smashed up my fucking car and I am looking to rip someone's head off".

"Black hummer? You would be looking for Mr. Simms, and he would be one of the…Assholes behind you. Play nice Ali…"

Suddenly thrilled with the chance to kill two birds with one stone she grinned maliciously "Can't promise anything".

* * *

The cold blast of night air and the slamming of Nicky's entrance door caught the attention of almost everyone in the room. The furious red head striding determinedly toward the bar however caught the attention of just one.

"What do reckon?" he questioned, nodding his blonde head in her general direction.

"What?" asked Tyler in confusion.

"Red at the bar…what do you reckon?" he repeated, raising his eyebrows in suggestion.

"God you two aren't still on with this game are you?" frowned Caleb, as he rejoined Reid and Tyler, leaning his back against the pool table.

"Only when someone _really_ warrants playing" Reid laughed.

"I'm in…_she_ definitely warrants a game" smirked Pogue, slapping a twenty on the table "Yellow thong" he guessed.

"You three really should know better" Caleb rebuked, before adding his crisp twenty to Pogue's "Black boy shorts" he smirked.

"Nah I think she's practical. White cotton briefs" Tyler mused, adding to the pool.

"Well, I'm going to say… string. Red lace" grinned Reid, his eyes flaming as the girls skirt flew up in a non existent breeze revealing her underwear.

"Well I'll be damned…Poster panties" Pogue laughed, only slightly disappointed that his assumption was wrong. He was sure the yellow straps showing under her shirt was a hint as to what she wore below.

"Did anyone catch what they said?" laughed Caleb.

"If you can read this…it's your lucky night" chuckled Tyler before he pointed out he was closest to being right. They were white cotton after all.

"Damn I wouldn't mind seeing them up close, or on my bedroom floor..." he groaned, biting down on his lip turning his eyes back to the object of his lusting. "Heads up boys she's coming this way" he muttered standing up a little straighter, the ferocity on her face suffocating his laughter.

The girl now standing in front of the four of them growled in outrage "I don't know how you four pulled off your little trick, but this" she said leaning between Caleb and Reid, picking up the notes on the table "is mine. Seriously…do I look fucking deaf?"

"Ahh…" Pogue stammered.

"It was a rhetorical question you moron…" she criticized, scowling at Pogue, "Which of you dumb fucks is Simms'?"

"Why?" asked Caleb cautiously.

"Because his hummer is currently parked on the hood of my fucking car, and I would kindly appreciate it if he would move the heap of crap and then explain to me what he is going to do about my smashed lights and trashed paint job."

Thumping Reid in the arm; none to gently; Tyler hissed at him "I told you you bloody hit something…" pushing away from the table he stepped towards the girl "Sorry. Dickhead here was driving, but it's my truck. I'll come move it and we'll talk about how best to fix the damage" he apologised, placing his hand on her lower back steering her toward the door.

"Get your fucking hand off me…I know where the exit is" she asserted, walking a little faster to move out of his hold.

"Sorry…" he muttered, holding his hands up defensively.

"Whatever…" Rolling her eyes the girl made her exit, both hands pushing the door open with a resounding crack as it hit the wall behind it.

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This is the first chapter I have overhauled. Please tell me what you all think. I would really appreciate knowing if this is better.

Read. Review. Eat Chocolate cake!


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: - As repetitive as these things go it should all be obvious, but just in case it is not I do not own anything pertaining to The Covenant. And for the purpose of this chapter nor do I own any of the dialogue from the American Pie series. No copyright infringement is intended on my part. I don't not earn anything from writing this. I do however claim ownership of my O/C's and the plot that I puppeteer them to.

* * *

Leaning comfortably back against her driver's side door Alicia cursed under her breath again. He was late. Casting another irritated glance at her watch she calculated he was approximately twenty six minutes and forty seven seconds late. It was the forty seven seconds that escalated her frustration further. When had she started to count them?

"Stupid little prick! 'Don't be late' I told him. 'I won't be. I promise'. Fucking useless lying -" she muttered under her breath, imitating the words said by the blue eyed boy last night. Sighing in aggravation she returned her finger nail between her lips, savagely gnawing at the bright yellow polish.

Observing her surroundings, again, her eyes met the those of the garages only other occupant. Undoubtedly her mumbling and flailing was concerning him, if his cautious glance was anything to go by. He was also waiting; a little more patiently than she; for her 'company' to arrive. Smiling around her finger apologetically she looked back down at her watch.

Twenty eight minutes and thirteen seconds. He really was beginning to test her patience. Which wasn't an intelligent thing to do. Patience wasn't particularly one of Alicia's more admirably qualities.

Extracting her fingers from her mouth and spitting the yellow flecks to the floor she was surprised to see all ten nails stripped bare. There really was only one thing left to do now. She was going to have to start chewing on her nails. What else was there to do? As she lifted her nails once again to her teeth she reasoned she could at least use her 'winnings' from last night to pay for the damage to be put right.

Before she could disunite nail from finger however the long awaited crunch of tyres over gravel interrupted her. Flicking her eyes yet again to her watch, she tallied a total of thirty minutes and twenty three seconds had passed since her arrival. Did he think she would be impressed by his fashionable lateness. Not likely.

Directing her annoyance at the black car the lateness was quickly explained. Blue eyes had ditched her and sent the cocky blonde in his place. Fucking spectacular.

"What the fuck? Where the hell is Tim? Tom? Whatever his fucking name is".

"Tyler?" Reid smirked.

"Like I said whatever his fucking name is".

"I think you scared him. He got half way here before I got the call to come bail him out. I would have been earlier but I was… preoccupied" Reid grinned, lifting his eyebrows suggestively.

"You lousy, cock sucking asshole! Do you have any fucking idea how long I have been waiting here? And for what? You to finish doing some whore! You assholes are fucking unbelievable!"

"You are a riled up bundle of fun aren't you" Reid chuckled "Baby Boy was right, he definitely wouldn't be up to _handling _you".

"And let me guess you can _handle_ me?"

"Oh, I think I am more than _equipped_ for the challenge".

"Shame for you, you aren't my type then".

"I'm everyone's type" Reid assured, smirking arrogantly.

"Sorry to disappoint but unless you can magically produce a sexy 36c and a pretty little pussy, you really don't have much of a chance" Alicia shrugged, enjoying his crest fallen look.

Taking a moment to consider her proposition carefully he quickly dismisses the idea. As appealing as the novelty was, he much preferred the idea of performing the deed with his twig and giggle berries in tact. "Well now, that more than adequately explains things. Doesn't it?"

"Oh, Fuck You" Alicia spat, rolling her eyes.

"I wouldn't say no if your offering. I'd gladly show another of Spenser's Dykes what she's missing."

"You know what, I have never been so sure of a first impression before in my life, you are a complete and utter asshole".

"So people keep telling me…" he laughed, uncomfortable with the direction their conversation had taken, he steered it to a less personal subject "Come on lets get your car booked in before the place closes".

Glad to end conversation with the blonde, Alicia pushed herself from her car and lead the way into the garage; the previously waiting staff member had already taken his leave and was waiting behind the counter for them.

* * *

Reviews are always appreciated. They make me feel special. And Meg always says I am special.

Before I get flamed; (not that I mind them, they make me all toasty and warm); I would like to point out that in no way do I wish to cause offence for the use of the word Dyke. I personally don't think it offensive, so to those more sensitive than I. I suppose I should be Sorry.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer :- As repetitive as these things go it should all be obvious, but just in case it is not I do not own anything pertaining to The Covenant or anything else you recognise. I don't not earn anything from writing this. I do however claim ownership of my O/C's and the plot that I puppeteer them to.

Puppets are fun!

* * *

Falling back against her pillow, Alicia sighed wearily. That had been the most objectionable and torrid journey of her short life. Had she not been the sole receptacle she would have been impressed by the sheer volume of innuendo the arrogant shit-headed blonde could spew. Adjusting the phone resting on her shoulder she could hear the stifled voice of her newly allocated best friend and room mate. She had never been so pleased to hear Callie's voice. The frustration that had been amounting all afternoon had reached its peak, Alicia needed to vent and Callie was going to bear witness.

"Unbelievable I know! Why the hell they can't make the fucking repairs here is beyond me. Incapable, inept stupid mother fu-"

"Relax Al, before you have a stroke or something" Callie laughed.

"Relax! How the hell am I supposed to relax? They have sent my car to the city Callie! I have no transport for the next seven fucking days!!"

"So ride with me. Problem solved. Now calm the hell down".

"I have just spent my afternoon in the company of Ipswich's most formidable sycophant. How the hell am I supposed to calm down?"

"Who?"

"Reid fucking Garwin? You know him right?"

"Know him? No. Of him? Yes."

"Well blue eyed boy as it turns out is a chicken shit, instead of coming himself he sent Garwin. I spent over thirty minutes waiting for him to show up, and every minute after that both defending my sexuality and deflecting his unnatural obsession with my lesbianism!"

"Your lesbianism?" the distant voice shrieked.

"Don't ask" Ali groaned.

"Oh I'm asking. When did you come out of the proverbial closet?"

"The second he opened his big mouth. He was trying to get into my pants! In order to deter the asshole I told him that unless he could magically whip up some tits and a pussy he didn't stand a chance. He made his own assumptions".

"Alicia! Oh. My. God! Are you fucking mental? You told the human embodiment of Kama Sutra you were a fucking lesbian!!" Callie choked, barley holding in her laughter.

"Yes and?" Alicia questioned confusedly.

"You need to listen to gossip once in a while!" Callie sighed in exasperation "Haven't you heard about Sophie Parker?"

"I shall not listen to mindless bullshit, and no I haven't. Should I have?"

"Umm, YES!! She pertains greatly to your current situation. Sophie Parker was the last girl to tell Mr. Fuck Me Garwin that she was a lesbian".

"And that matters to me why?"

"How can someone so smart be so bloody dense?" Callie muttered; her eye roll almost audible; "He took her stated preference as a challenge".

"A challenge? How? What did the shit do?" Ali frowned, not at all happy with the way the conversation was headed.

"What did he do? The creepy little fucker stalked her! He waited outside her dorm every morning. Sat next to her in every class; he actually had his schedule changed so she couldn't avoid him. He sent her lingerie. The works! He was relentless! Took him a couple of months but he finally wore her down, he managed to get her into bed in the end; well… the Provost's office if the rumours are true" Callie trailed off, leaving her own speculation hanging.

Too shocked at his audacity to form an intelligent response Alicia stumbled over her response "What happened after that?" And, both already knowing the answer and fearing it nonetheless she asked tentatively "Why should it make any difference to me?"

"Well he was triumphant obviously! He took it upon himself to _fill_ her in on all he thought she was missing. It was during one of her fellatio lessons they were caught at it. Both were going to be expelled but after a generous 'donation' to the school by Garwin's Daddy they both got away with month long suspensions; which he spent in Italy! Sophie however transferred out. She couldn't face coming back knowing that everyone else knew about her 'conversion'."

Swallowing loudly Alicia asked again "And the relevance here to me?"

"You actually think he is about to walk away? You just presented him a whole new challenge! I almost feel sorry for you actually" Callie chuckled, her enjoyment of Alicia's dilemma bordering on cruel.

"If that asshole comes within a ten foot radius of me I'll staple his scrotum to his fucking forehead".

"Do I get to watch?" Callie laughed "Such acts shouldn't occur without an audience".

"I am fucking serious, if he even thinks of trying any of that shit with me I won't think anything of turning him into a fucking eunuch" Alicia threatened. Needing to change the subject of the conversation, her frustration having only been escalated so far, she asked Callie her reason for phoning to begin with.

"Oh. Right. I got the night off. The bar is dead. I am coming to pick you up. We're going to the party at the Dells. You will not argue with me. You are going to come get silly with me, besides… I need you to make sure I don't have any repeats in… company tonight".

Conceding to her best friend quickly, Alicia decides that after the day she had had a few beers at the Dells with Callie was probably just what she needed. Callie was sure to provide her with an adequate distraction one way or the other.

"Well that's my good intentions pissed out the window, I was going to be a good girl and actually do some homework tonight. But… I suppose observing the mating rituals of the human female maybe more educational" Alicia chuckled "Though I am not going to stop you repeating yourself. I think I may just get a kick watching you hook up with James again; do you suppose you'd actually chew off your own arm rather than wake him again?"

"You let that happen and I will make it my mission to track down Mr. Garwin and tell him where you live. Get the ball rolling if you will".

"You wouldn't dare!!!"

"I would and you know it" was the all too serious threat back.

"Why are we friends?"

"Bugger if I know, I'll pick you up downstairs in ten minutes, don't be late or I'll make you walk to school 'til you get your car back".

"Ughh, I hate you…"

"I hate you too" was Callie's closing remark as the line went dead.

Closing her phone with a smile, Alicia turned her eye to the pile of books propped on her desk, "Oh well. Never mind".

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I would love for everyone reading this to let me know what you all think of the changes made so far. Are they improving the story?

Read. Review. Become obsessed with Edward Cullen.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: - Okay so I still don't own this. And I am guessing none of you do either. Sad isn't it? It all belongs to someone else. Oh well. I shall continue to force the character to dance to my own demented little tune.

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Apparently ten minutes wasn't an adequate amount of time to reach Callie's expected level of dressed. The deranged little nymph was completely and impossibly unreasonable. What was wrong with the basic combination of chucks, hoodie and skinny jeans? Perfectly acceptable attire for a midnight party at the Dells right? Well according to Callie; who dressed for the catwalk regardless of occasion; apparently not. Seriously! Where the fuck did she think they were going? And then after admonishing her ensemble to within an inch of its life Satan's stylist had demanded she climb in to the back seat and rummage around for something more suitable to wear. Strangling Callie in her sleep with the cord of her own curling iron was becoming more and more appealing.

Despite futile glaring and venomous insults the back seat was where Alicia found herself, teetering precariously on the edge of the over cluttered seat heaving what was probably the smallest piece of material known to man over her hips. Of course it was only fitting with her current string of bad luck that the solitary item of clothing; and that term was applied loosely; was something that would gladly offer anyone who should so choose to look a glimpse of her underwear should the wind so much as flutter. And of course wind was a guaranteed event. Who ever heard of a beach with out a sea breeze?

Evil, scrawny size four bitch. Callie was going to meet a gruesome and bloody end in her sleep tonight. Alicia was sure of it.

After hauling herself forward into the front passenger seat; and unceremoniously smacking her head against the windshield as Callie took a corner at least forty over the limit, Alicia stretched her body out to its full length in the confined space, offering herself up for inspection

"Are you fucking happy now?"

Following the eyes as they trailed down her figure, Alicia watched with an overwhelming degree of glee as Callie saw her new two hundred dollar boots adorning her feet; they were actually rather nice, over the knee black leather with buckle fastenings the entire length of the calves. She didn't look at happy.

"Who the fuck said you could wear those?"

"It's either these or my jeans and chucks. Your choice" Alicia grinned.

Biting her tongue Callie's answering scowl intensified when she saw the hoodie still in place.

"You can go screw yourself if you think I am taking it off" Alicia informed her, effectively cutting Callie off before she could protest.

The last mile of the journey passed in silence. Alicia's quietness masked her elation as she watched Callie's face morph every few seconds into a new level of annoyance and irritation. She was no doubt thinking of all the ways she would seek revenge if her one of a kind boots were murdered. Regardless, Alicia was sure Callie would think twice before playing Barbie dress up with her again.

As soon as they were stationary the tension was immediately forgotten. Exiting the car; which Alicia managed to do with a hopeless level of elegance; Callie made a quick start on evaluating her choices.

"So are you ready to finally loose the chastity belt tonight? Or are you going to settle for helping me out? _Again_".

"Kiss my ass! Not all of us feel the need to spread their legs for every pretty face that crosses our path. I for one would actually prefer to know more than the name of the person I am fucking!" She knew Callie wouldn't take personal offence to her insult, but her implication had pissed her off.

"Sorry Al, you know I didn't mean it. Forgive me?" Callie pouted.

Unable to refuse her friend Alicia smiled, giving her head a slight nod.

"Besides, you know how much I enjoy window shopping. I don't sample everything the candy shop has to offer but I do have a terrible sweet tooth. Speaking of which I wouldn't mind a suck or two on that one" Callie smiled, pulling her bottom lip between her teeth.

Frowning at her friends sudden distraction, Alicia followed the direction of her lustful gaze only to find herself trapped in the eyes of someone she would be more than pleased to never see again.

"Well isn't that just the fucking cherry on top" Ali muttered under her breath, pinching the bridge of her nose between her finger and thumb. Her earlier frustration had reared its ugly head and was now running rampant around her head laughing it's ass off.

"Why? What's wrong?" Callie asked, her eyes unwavering.

"That fucking asshole!"

Deadpanning Callie frowned "Huh?"

"The blonde prick! The lesbian obsessive! The car ride from hell! You with me yet?"

"Oh" Callie muttered as realisation hit her. "I forgot you were acquainted with the quartet of yummy goodness".

"Quartet of what? Forget it… I don't want to know".

"Hmm, I want to do naughty things with the little one. Introduce us?"

"Um… No?"

"Come on Al, be reasonable!"

Shaking her head in defeat, knowing her night would be easier if she just went along with it, she grabbed Callie's hand in hers and pulled her along behind her as she approached the four, who had in turn begun to walk towards her.

Skipping all preliminaries Alicia introduced Callie and Tyler; the demonic little red person; a manifestation of her aggravation, merrily reminded her of his name; and made her immediate exit without so much as a look back over her shoulder. Rude yes, but she wasn't prepared to spend a single second longer than necessary in their company. Garwin's especially. The underlying threat behind Callie's earlier revelation still too fresh in her mind to allow it to be dismissed. She knew enough about them; there was no way of not knowing in a place as small as Spenser; to know that they were relentless in every pursuit they undertook. And she would be damned if she was going to be sucked into their 'world' by some horny little shit who wanted to get in her pants.

She was content in her role as the unapproachable transfer student who would sooner smack you in the face than give you the time of day. It worked for her.

-x-

With a much needed bottle of beer in hand Alicia sat herself on a low dune beside one of the make shift bonfires. Relaxing in her solitude she quickly spotted Callie and Tyler. Blue eyes; it would seem; had grown a back bone since this afternoon and was currently winning one of Callie's favourite games. Tongue tennis. Advanced. Chuckling in amusement Alicia drained her bottle and carelessly threw the empty over her shoulder. The masculine '_oomph_' behind her startled her from her relaxed state. If it was that blonde asshole she would retrieve the stupid bottle and forcefully shove it up his ass. Sideways.

"What the fuck was that for?" It wasn't him.

"If you weren't standing behind me it wouldn't have hit you?"

"Would it kill you to apologise?"

"Yes. Probably. What do you want Aaron?" Annoying dicks were just lining themselves up today, weren't they?

"I just came over to ask you if you wanted a dance, maybe a lift back to the dorms later. Your ride just left with Simms".

Ignoring the question of how he knew Callie was her ride home she instead laughed at her friend's sweet tooth. So much for window shopping.

"So… do you want to dance?"

Deciding she may need the offered lift back to the dorms later she accepted, but not without giving him fair warning; she wasn't an idiot when it came to Aaron, she knew his reputation. "Your hands go anywhere they don't have an invitation to go and I will mount your balls to the hood of my car. Got it?"

"Whatever you say" he smirked. Alicia noted that it paled in comparison to Garwin's.

With him following her she made her way to the edge of the party, rolling her eyes at his crassness as he pulled her back against his chest, reminding herself that she would need a ride later she resigned herself to one dance, allowing him to move her hips in sync with his own. As the song was winding down she became very aware of his now obvious 'enjoyment' at having her so close, and pulled away from him just as his lips were about to descend to her neck.

There was no way a lift was worth that. Walking away from him she headed back in the direction Callie had left her car, desperately hoping she had left in Tyler's Hummer.

Barely free of the crowd Alicia was pulled backwards, causing her to collide uncomfortably against a stone hard chest. Her captor's arms holding her in place as his mouth brushed against her earlobe.

"Where do you think you are going? You aren't done here yet".

"Get your fucking hands off me Aaron!" Alicia hissed, trying to shrug out of his arms.

"Come on, don't be _shy_" he whispered, aggravated.

His words; along with the open mouthed kisses he was slavering against her neck; was all it took for Alicia to lose it. All the frustration she thought suppressed instantly boiled over into blinding rage. Who the fuck did this prick think he was! Lifting her foot; merrily intent on impaling his foot with the spiked heel of Callie's boot; her fight reflex was interrupted by a nasal shriek.

"What the_fuck_ is going on here?" Kira. Oh now her day was perfect.

"Your letch of a _boyfriend_ doesn't take rejection well apparently" Alicia snapped, stumbling as she was shoved abruptly from behind. '_Now that is just plain insulting'_ she thought humourlessly.

"What the _fuck_ do you think you were doing with my _boyfriend_ you bitch?" Kira screamed. The sudden disturbance quickly drawing the attention of everyone around them. The banshee demanded an audience. What a surprise.

"Actually your_ boyfriend_ was the one _doing_, I was just leaving. And unless you want your Daddy to have to buy you another new nose don't call me a bitch again. Ever" Alicia smiled, anticipating the response to her baited words.

"Oh? What are you going to about it _bitch_?" she sneered.

"You really won't like it" Alicia cautioned. It was only fair after all.

"Try me" Kira offered, her fingers luring Alicia forward in a come hither motion, her chin raised defiantly.

Now that was an offer her frazzled nerves just couldn't pass up. Smiling a sickeningly sweet smile Alicia wrapped her thumb around her clenched fingers and just let go. All the frustration and anger unleashed in a single yell as her hand made contact with the conveniently positioned jaw.

Stunned that Alicia had actually carried out her threat Kira was slow to react, and when she did it was pathetic. A glancing slap and a shove. Was that all she could muster? Well that just wasn't good enough was it? A little provocation was in order. Circling the taller frizzy haired girl Alicia taunted, "Come on Kira. You can do better. Don't you want revenge? I just had your boyfriends tongue down my throat. His hands on my tits. If you hadn't come along I can only imagine where his tongue and fingers would have ended up tonight. Can you imagine it Kira? Your boyfriend fucking me in his car?"

Alicia certainly had a good idea where Aaron had wanted his hands and mouth to end up and just the thought had her stomach threatening to spill itself onto the sand. But the last twenty four hours had created an itch and it needed to be scratched.

"YOU BITCH! YOU GODDAMNED FUCKING SLUT" Kira screamed, literally throwing herself through the air at Alicia, the two falling to the ground in a thrashing tangle of limbs. '_Finely'_ was the only intelligible word her mind could muster as Kira's fists connected simultaneously with her lip and ribs. Twisting and writhing Alicia gained the upper hand and was soon straddling Kira's waist not bothering to deflect the blows, instead focusing on delivering her own. She was just starting to enjoy herself when a most unwelcome voice; and an even more unwelcome pair of arms; interrupted her.

"What the fuck is going on here? Alicia?" he demanded, pulling her back to her feet.

"This little tramp was all over Aaron, I was kindly reminding her to back off" Kira hissed as her scumbag boyfriend thoughtfully pulled her to her feet.

Unable to get past the blockade that was the blonde, Alicia spat the blood pooling in her mouth at Kira's feet with a smile before turning and walking away. Despite the increasing discomfort spreading through her body Alicia really was feeling so much better. Resuming her earlier route she again headed in the direction that Callie's car had been, and she would have made it too were it not for the pale arm that had then fallen across her shoulders, steering her in an entirely different direction.

"We should get you some ice for your hand… and your lip, they're going to hurt tomorrow" he smiled knowingly, his thumb grazing the small split on her lower lip carefully.

"You think?" she snorted, trying to shrug his arm off her futilely.

"So… you're a Lesbian huh…" he laughed, his legendary smirk in place. It worked so much better for him than she cared to admit.

"Oh…eat me" she glared, again attempting to shrug off his arm.

"So you're ready to take me up on my offer then huh? Your room or mine?" he grinned as her glare turned to a scowl. Deciding against pushing his luck he instead reworded his previous question and asked again "So what was all that about? Why were you fighting Kira over Aaron? The guys a complete prick".

"Rumour has it that you are too, but that doesn't stop girls from wanting to sleep with you does it?" Alicia retorted "besides I was horny and he's hot". Lies. All lies.

"I'm incredibly hot, yet you keep turning me down", he laughed, trying and failing to pull off a hurt expression.

"Yeah well he actually put some leg work into seeing me in my underwear; you on the other hand did not. How the fuck did you four pull off your little trick anyway?" Now that she was thinking about it, it was really annoying her that she couldn't rationally explain how they did it.

"A true magician never reveals his secrets" he replied. The smile on his face was one reserved for those in on an inside joke.

"Magician my ass" she muttered unwilling to let his evasiveness bother her. Beside's one of the 'four' was making his approach. She really should, maybe, remember their names.

"Hey Reid. Alicia! What the hell happened to you?"

"Hey Pogue, Kira tried to happen and failed" Reid chuckled.

"Huh?"

"Fuck, you really do have a limited vocabulary don't you?"

"Now now play nice" grinned Reid "Alicia here was getting it on with Aaron and his girlfriend intervened".

"You were doing what with who now?"

"Seriously, I am not having this conversation. With either of you. I'm off. Bye Reid".

"Hey how are you getting back to the dorms, your girl has abducted Baby Boy?"

"They took her car didn't they...great..." she sighed. Quickly weighing up her limited options she turned her attention to Pogue "Since my friend has abandoned me, and his inability to drive has left me without a car of my own, I nominate you to give me a lift back to the dorms".

"Why me?"

"Because, due to recent revelations, I suspect if I am alone with him" she said nodding her head in Reid's general direction "he is going to attempt to get in my pants. Since I have a one 'molestation' a night rule, I am not about to get into a confined space with him, which leaves me with just you as my only other option" she shrugged walking back towards the direction of the parked vehicles. Were her back not to them she would have seen the furious faces of her new acquaintances.

"I am going to beat the living shit out of that fucking asshole. I should have known something was off. I can't believe I didn't realise" Reid berated himself, remember the way Aaron had been looking at Alicia as she had provoked Kira into a fight "I can't believe he would pull that kind of shit!" he hissed, receiving a nod of affirmation from Pogue.

"Are you coming or what?" Alicia shouted interrupting them.

"Bloody hell, patience much!" Pogue shouted back, a smile crinkling his face.

"Sorry fresh out" was her reply. And it didn't surprise him one bit. Rolling his eyes, he turned back to Reid, the pair knocking their fists together in a gesture she had witnessed numerous times before but never understood. It must be a chromosomal thing.

"Are you coming back later?" Reid asked, as Pogue began walking towards Alicia.

"Nah, I'm just gonna crash. Catch up with you in the morning, call Caleb for me. Tell him I split?" Pogue asked, glancing over his shoulder to see Reid's response.

Once he had caught up to Alicia, he mimicked the position he had found her and Reid in earlier and dropped his arm over her shoulder, walking them in the direction of his bike, "Come on baby girl, lets get you out of here".

From what little she knew of the four she should have known not to expect anything but the best, but she couldn't disguise the gasp that escaped her when they finally reached his bike. He had a Honda Fireblade! She couldn't stop herself questioning if he could handle the damn thing? She had heard about the accident he had had on his Ducati, she knew that he had ended up in a hospital bed for weeks afterwards. Was it really sensible of her to climb on the back of a bike with him?

Watching him confidently and without hesitation swing his leg over the bike she could feel the flutter of anxiety in her stomach. Maybe she should just take her chances with Reid, being groped was marginally better than dying in a bike wreck wasn't it?

Her stupid ego got the best of her however when she saw the glint of amusement in his eyes as he watched her deliberating. Death is was then.

Scowling at him she walked towards the bike, tersely refusing his helmet when he offered it to her; the damned thing would only make her top heavy and more likely to fall off anyway. Taking grip on his shoulder she copied his movement and swung her leg over the bike; immensely proud of both the fact that she had accomplished it with out falling and that she hadn't flashed everyone within a two mile radius her underwear.

Unsure where exactly she was meant to put herself now she settled for allowing him to pull her into place, her body curling against the curve of his own.

"Hold on tight" he indicated, pulling her arms securely around his waist before he slid his visor down. Once he was satisfied she wasn't about to slip off he slid himself lower down the bike, starting it up. They were quickly accelerating out onto the road.

They were about a mile or so away from the dorms when Alicia could no longer quell her terror. Unclenching her teeth; that for at least the last six miles been imbedded into the tough leather of his jacketed shoulder; she let a piercing scream tear through her chest only to have it disappear into the bitterly cold night air. She would never again get on the back of a bike with him. As the bike dipped lower to the road once again, she became certain he was doing it on purpose, intentionally trying to scare the crap out of her.

Finally seeing the dorms in the distance she welcomed the relief surging through her. It was almost over. Resting her forehead on his back she struggled to compose herself, she already knew he was able to tell she had been screaming. He couldn't have missed the vibration of her screams against his back as she had unleashed them. She wasn't about to let him have the satisfaction of seeing her stumbled on numb legs when she finally dismounted the bike.

She was remotely grateful when he slowed though, the growl of the engine quieting to a purr. The last thing she wanted was witnesses. She had no desire for anyone to see how her disaster of a night was ending.

Reluctantly accepting his hand as she attempted a graceful dismount, she ignored his questioning look; he was undoubtedly wondering if she was able to walk back to her room without assistance; and began walking up the steps.

"Don't I even get a goodnight?" he asked, his amused voice muffled by his helmet. Not looking back she called out over her shoulder, "No" before pulling opening the door, disappearing inside.

* * *

AN:- Okay so here is another chapter almost completely re written, I would appreciate your feedback, let me know if you like the changes made. Next re write should be up soon, and the all important update will be up in the next week or so.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer :- Okay I don't own anything, if I did then I would be in bed with my gorgeous bloke at midnight instead of writing about these yummies …okay that's established…I own nothing you recognise.

Notes of thanks:-

Sooper Trooper - I really don't know who I want her to end up with. I could completely flip it around, and have someone other than the boys yet… I don't know if it would be a Pogue and O/C, I don't really know how I'd write him you know…

Nomanslandvicki - there you go sweets, I updated, hope you like this chappie. I really like Reid for my O/C too, but I am biased. I think Toby is a great actor and perfectly delicious to look at so…huh hummm. Enough said, I am a hopeless flip flopper, I still haven't decided on the pairing…yet…

Silent tears - there you go Al, hope you like it…

SkyyRyder - thanks for reading, hope you follow the story to the end…where ever it may end up. In all my stories so far the girls are pretty Mary sue ish…I don't want this one to end up that way, slap me if she starts to get that way…seriously…

XXBabygirlXx - thanks for reviewing, your wonderful, I love my reviewers. I hate Aaron too, there is going to be more of him involved later on, to what extent I don't know yet, hopefully it should be interesting…

Lfjsfosdgfosngdsf - Ha Ha I copied and pasted…hope you enjoy this serving of the QYG, I know I did when I was writing it…oh the visuals…Hmmm.

Okay on with the story…

Apparently the stupid powers that be had decided to finally let up. Her run of humiliating and destructive incidents had seemingly ceased. Sure she had indulged in flirtatious banter; well him flirting, her telling him to fuck off; with Reid during AP English and she had had the odd phone call from Tyler trying to find Callie, but that was it. Nothing major, nothing drastic. No more damaged cars or public displays of underwear. In fact things had been looking up for Alicia. Until her most recent note swapping session with Reid in AP English had been interupted by the guest speaker. He didn't appear impressed with Reid's artist impression of himself and Alicia on the hood of her bug. It was at about that point people started to stare at her in the halls whispering behind her back. What fun.

Standing outside the doors she was poised, her fingers crossed behind her back, her eyes clamped shut, she was wishing and praying, that something spectacular had happened. Maybe the Provosts secretary had been caught photocopying her ass in the admin office or maybe Kira finally coming to her senses and dumped Aaron. Publicly. She didn't really mind. She just didn't want to be the sole focus of the school. All she wanted was to go back to being the bitter new girl who bussed tables at Nicky's during the weekends. The one who listened to all the rumours about the Sons of Ipswich - yes people actually call them that - and whoever they were hangng out with at the time, instead of actually being the 'one' in question. Opening the door she quickly realised that wasn't going to happen. Not today at least. Directly in front of her was a rather tall and unbelievably pissed off looking brunette.

"Well good morning sunshine, what the fuck can I do for with you?" Alicia smiles, a sickly sweet smile. Fucking high school. It was too early in the day for this shit.

"Stay away from Pogue." Ughh, like she needed a reminder of her near death experience whilst on the back of his bike. 'I wonder if my teeth marks are still embedded into his jacket?' she muses before answering, "Who?"

"The guy who brought you home the other night. Word has it that you looked awfully friendly with him on his bike, and that you've been hanging out with the other sons too." So all her previous encounters had been officially documented then. Oh fucking joy.

"Friendly? Ha-Ha that's funny, now fuck off" she say's bored to death of this conversation already.

"I don't find it funny…stay away from them, or else".

"Or else what? Your gonna kick my ass, I'm pissing myself right now" Ali smirks walking towards the fuming girl in front of her.

"Just keep your distance, if you know what's good for you."

"Seriously, as much super duper fun as this is, what the fuck has my 'associating' with the precious 'Sons' got to do with you?"

"Pogue and me, we're together…but we're kind of on a break, we'll get back together soon though".

"Sure you will… Pogue…so he's the biker boy…hmmm he's cute…" Ali goads.

"Just stay away from him, got it" the girl practically screams.

Suddenly completely pissed off by the way her morning had ended up, Ali starts to shout back. Loud. "Why? Jealous? Which of the four assholes is it that you lot have a thing for, It seems that all of you bitches have something to say about it, come on seriously is it tall dark and handsome, biker boy, little baby boy or the infamous fuck me senseless Garwin?" Alicia yells pointing at random girls.

"I thought you'd never ask" a voice announces from behind her. you could almost hear his grin.

"Ahh, can my day get any worse" she screams as an arm circles her waist.

"What's going on?" another voice asks.Caleb she thinks.

"It would seem that someone has a problem with the fact biker boy here…"

"Pogue"

"Fine…Pogue gave me a lift home from the Dell's the other day."

"Kate…why am I not surprised. What part of 'We're over' don't you understand ?"

"But…"

"But nothing, we're over…not on a break, not taking some time, were over".

"But I love you"

"You should have thought of that before fucking around behind my back"

Apparently the argument was over; the tall bitch took off yelling and screaming somewhat incoherently down the halls, followed quickly by a short blonde who, if looks could kill, would have beaten, strangled, dismembered and cremated Alicia throughout the duration of the 'discussion'.

Turning back to face the four yet again grinning assholes Ali rolls her eyes, giving them thoroughly indignant look. "Do you four pricks know how to do anything but fuck up my life", she yells before storming back out the door. School could go fuck itself today.

After having walked pretty much the whole way back to her dorms, the stupid over sized heap of crap that had caused all of this pulled up beside her, with the doors swinging open, the four guys climb out with Callie in tow.

"Great so your adding abduction and stalking to the list of things that have screwed up my day now."

"We were worried, well they were, I just wanted out of class" shrugs Reid.

"How considerate of you".

"I know…" he smirks.

"Well, I'm just fucking peachy, you four can fuck off now".

"Don't you want a lift back to school?" asks Tyler.

"No not particularly…" she says grabbing Callie's hand, walking away from them.

"Are you sure your alright?" Caleb asks.

"God will you lot just leave me alone, every time your lot are near me it results in some aspect of my life getting royal shagged over".

"How?" an incredulous Tyler asks.

"My car, my panties…which just so you know are green with Elmo on them…, the fucking rumors flying around, the Dells; which is your fault" she says pointing to Tyler.

"My fault, I wasn't even there" he says blushing as Callie winks at him.

"Exactly, you were off getting freaky with her, if she had been there, I wouldn't have been alone and Aaron would have kept his hands out of my shirt, then to top it all off his psycho ex and her blonde shadow attempt to scare me into submission for having been seen on his precious bike….Am I forgetting anything? I mean, fuck the whole damned school is talking about us. And there isn't even an us, you lot are driving me insane!"

"I knew you weren't the submissive type…if that helps…" interrupts Pogue.

"Shut up Pogue…probably not helping right now" Reid interjects.

"You shut up…you were thinking it too" Pogue grins back at him. The blonde simply nodding in agreement.

"Both of you shut up…Okay Ali…point made, We're sorry, we never meant for any of that to happen…well except for the panties thing, let us take you and Cal out to dinner tonight, an apology if you will…anywhere you like… and when you get your car back we promise to never bother you again." Caleb suggests.

"I'm not promising that…" mutters Reid, receiving a glare from Tyler, which he shrugs off, before looking back at Alicia.

"Can't, we're working…sorry" Ali says walking away from them.

"That wasn't very nice…" Callie smiles, stuffing her hand into the ass pocket of Ali's jeans.

"And I give a shit why?" she shrug, returning the gesture.

The remainder of her day passed by quite quickly, mostly in a hazy blur of Kerrang, junk food, and peanut M&M's and an unforgivably boring night at Nicky's. It was at about half midnight when she and Callie found themselves breaking into the Dorm House Pool. Apparently attending a school for spoilt rich teens came with it's perks.

After maybe her third or fourth shift at Nicky's she had discovered something, that usually led her to be where she was. You see, it didn't matter how knackered you were when you started work, by the time you finished you were buzzing, no matter how busy it was. Swimming was her secret to being able to sleep. Now ordinarily the door wasn't locked and hence the need to commit a felony. Breaking and entering was the only thing standing in her way of a goodnights sleep. Much to the annoyance of Callie; who was itching to go and get laid. She really didn't have any morals that one.

After having finally forced the lock into compliance, she and Callie crept through the encompassing darkness making there way to the solid doors housing the pool. Gripping the handle she turns it, freezing as the door opens just an inch. There was someone already in there. Noticing that Callie was about to shove the door, she put her finger up, ceasing her friends movements, straining to listen to the voices. Who ever it was had a hard on for swimming times, he was practically pissing himself. Someone had beaten his best time. Frowning, she focused on the voices. She knew them. Those assholes. How the fuck had they managed to get in? And why the hell were they awake at this time of night, and at the pool no less. Oh well sleep was off the schedule for the night. Nodding her head back to the door, she indicated that they should just leave. Stepping back from the door, she pulled the door closed. Shit. Shit. Shit. It slammed.

"Who's there?"

"Miss U.S. fucking A" she replies, throwing the door open, marching in, dragging Callie in tow.

"Ali?…How did you get in here, the door was locked".

"Exactly…Was…as in isn't now". Fuck tonight was just getting longer and longer. Tired, Pissed off and in the company of the 'Sons' at alomst one in the morning.Barley dressed soaking wet sons, why did she half to be here with Callie, there was no way she could just turn around and leave now.

"You broke in?" Reid asks, his expression stating he was impressed.

"Oh naughty me…throw me over your knee and spank me…" she sighs, eyes rolling "with the money this shit pit has being pumped into it, I'm sure they can afford a new lock".

"Hmmm spanking... tempting" he grins, before Caleb interrupts,

"How come you two are here so late?"

"Well we came for a game of hockey…To swim…Duh!! …why the fuck else would we be at a pool?"

Muttering at his own idiocy, he cast his eyes skyward, seemingly in conference with the almighty.

"Praying to him won't make you any less moronic you know, trust me, I've tried on your behalf."

"I was praying that he could make you less of a no it all bitch actually" Caleb smiles sarcastically.

"Blow me…" Ali says giving him the bird, before turning back to Callie, who was smiling across the room at Tyler, "Come on Cal, let's get the fuck out of here, if I stay much longer I might end up drowning someone."

"No chance…you came here to swim so swim, besides I have found the very thing I need to help me wind down".

"I thought you only liked to sample the goodies…"

"Well, as the goodies go, I'm enjoying how this one tastes…"

"God, you are such a…"

"I know" Callie says walking away from her.

"If you came here to swim, where's your stuff?" Pogue asks, noticing that she hadn't actually brought anything with her, other than the clothes she was dressed in.

"I didn't bring a suit" she shrugs.

"Hmmm, Skinny dipping…I like you more each time I see you, you know…" Reid laughs.

"Really, I can only just stomach the repulsion of seeing you…" she smirks at him, enjoying the frown that creases his brow as her comment sinks in.

"So what were you planning to wear; before you realised we were here?" Pogue asks.

"The same thing I am going to wear now; I couldn't give a rats ass that you lot are here, Swimming is the only way I am going to relax enough to get any sleep tonight. Providing he doesn't try to drown me of course…" she says, looking at Caleb, before pulling her shirt over her head.

"I'll try not too" he says, watching her drop her shirt onto the bench.

Keeping her attention on the pool, she continues her striptease, savouring the expression on the three faces watching her. Pogue's was a seamless blend of surprise and the lust; Caleb's however was embarrassment , he was either unable or unwilling to look away. And Reid's, well let's just say he had no shame. That mother fucking smirk was there, and he looked just about ready to climb out of the pool and screw her into the floor tiles.

Picking up her clothes, she piles them with her shirt, kicking her shoes off she turns back to the three who were still watching her every move. Smiling to herself she muses, that that must be the appeal to stripping. Being able to render a grown man to a mute, drooling blob in the matter of seconds. Maybe it was time to embark on a new career. Mummy and Daddy wanted her to quit working at Nicky's.

Now, almost as naked as the guy's, decked out in what at the time of purchase was the best thing going, but now under the scrutiny of three guys her Spongebob Squarepants ensemble was proving to be not such a good idea, Ali made her way over to the waters edge, hips swaying as she went, before sliding into the pool. "Holy shit, that's bloody cold" she gasps, her breath catching as her warm skin is enveloped by the cool water.

"I'll warm you up" offers Reid from the other side of the pool, his smirk widening as his eyes take in her chest area.

"Oi, dirt bag, my face is up here…",she states matter of factly, laughing to herself at the look he gives her, before looking over at Callie, who surprise surprise was now in the corner, whispering what was obviously something far from sweet nothings to Tyler judging by the interesting shade of crimson he was going.

"I'm gonna do a few laps", she says pushing off from the edge of the pool, in time with Caleb, who had apparently gotten over there little spat and was raring to go back to his swimming.

After a few slow and steady laps in which Pogue and Reid - who despite herself she was being to like, he was like a male version of Callie, just more perverted and more to her hetrosexual liking. After all judging by the rumors circulating about them they had long surpassed the realm of friends. They were being blamed for the temporary removal of Nicky's pool table, apparently they had shagged on the pool table after closing one night, leading to the tables needing to be recovered. You just had to laugh… though under scrutiny she knew that given the chance he would be more than willing to get freaky on the tables - had joined them. Gradually after the first couple of laps she started to speed up, matching the boys stroke for stroke. After at least ten or so, she stopped, reaching the wall, the others halting with her.

"Your good, how fast can you go?" Pogue asks, genuinely curious about her capabilities.

"I don't think you three could keep up" she muses, her mouth turning up into a smile at one corner.

"Hmm is that so?, I propose a bet then…you win, and we get to take you and Callie to dinner tomorrow, we win and we get to take you and Callie to dinner tomorrow". Caleb proposes.

"That doesn't really give me much incentive does it now…"

"I'll add to it, I will keep me mind out of your pants for a whole week if you beat me" Reid offers.

"Don't take it, he'll never do it" Tyler yells from his position by the poolside, where Callie was now straddling him. His remark causing the others to burst out laughing, probably in agreement.

"Alright, how about this, you win, I'll give you full use of my car until you get yours back Monday" Caleb offers.

"Now that offer I'll accept…" she grins shaking his hand.

"You have to beat me first…" he grins.

"Piece of piss…" she smiles back, taking up her position on the pool side, ready to dive in.

Just as they are about to dive off Tyler shouts out " Hey Reid no cheating"

To which Ali yells back "How the fuck is he supposed to cheat, we're swimming"

"Trust me, you don't know him like we do" comes the reply.

After watching the timer clock reach it's starting mark they all dive in, swimming in unison with one another, all reaching the kick off together before Caleb and Alicia pull ahead. At the half way return point Alicia pushes more into her strokes and pulls a half body length in front of Caleb, easily reaching the wall before he does.

"Okay I am officially impressed, I would have never taken you for a closet swimmer" concedes Caleb as he climbs to a seated position on the edge of the pool, pulling in a few deep breaths.

"Shit girl your fast, you even beat Caleb here and he's the best on the guy's team" Pogue tells her, as he climbs out next to Caleb.

"I know, I watch the swim meets"

"You do? Never would have taken you for a swim fan…How come your not on the team?" Caleb asks.

"Ha-Ha, you're a fucking comedian aren't you… I hate being here, and if you haven't noticed I am not exactly known for my school spirit. Besides have you actually seen the girls team compete?"

"Just because you hate the school, doesn't mean you should waste an obvious talent, besides I think your secretly a team player, you just don't want to ruin your reputation by joining".

"Oh you got me…" Ali laughs, holding her heart as though he had shot her "Just speaking to Reid in public has ruined my reputation, I would have to change my identity if I actually swam with you lot, on a team no less…"

"It would put an end to the mountain of homework you have" shrugs Reid.

"How do you know about that?"

"Callie, Tyler plus your room combined with my need to steal his car"

"She had better not have been anywhere near my bed" Alicia growls, glaring at the jaw locked duo.

"No, but you might want to never touch the inside of your door again…" Reid smiles remembering how Tyler's keys had materialised in his hand through the closed door. Baby Boy hadn't been in the mood for interuptions.

"That skanky little tramp"

"So what do you think about joining Spenser's swim team, god knows they could do with your talent?" Pogue asks.

"As an added bonus, You'd get to see me half naked, several times a week, up close and personal" Reid smirks.

"I thought the guys and girls didn't swim together?" she questions, instantly realising she hadn't deterred Reid's suggestion.

"They don't, up until now there wasn't anyone good enough on the girls team to warrant us competing together, now if you were on the team, I think our Capitan here would probably be willing to combine the team again".

"Wait a minute you mean to say that you, Caleb goody two shoes, are responsible for the division of the teams? Why?"

"Are you kidding me? Half the girls on that team can barely swim, they only join up because of the joint training sessions. We used to compete together but we rarley won, especially when these two got together" Caleb groaned shoving Reid and Pogue, "So, will you consider trying out? You might actually enjoy it…"

"Unlikely…But it would depend. If I decide to tryout and I make the team, You have to reinstate the team as it was. And you have to open the veiwing gallery's during training… It might go some way to getting me off of the 'death squads' hit list".

"Death squad?"

"Yeah the female population of this school, I figure being the one who opened up the veiwing gallery's for them to ogle you lot may go some way to prevent my almost certain suspension, which if things go unchanged, will ultimately come about whilst trying to defend myself from the fucking demented bitches that stalk you lot everywhere you go".

"You drive a hard bargain…but…you have a deal. You join the team…and yes you will definitely get on the team… I'll open the gallery's".

"Your on" she says, shaking his hand with a smile.

Pushing off again, she leisurely swims a full length of the pool, mentally screaming and punching herself. How the fuck did she get herself into these situations, she should have just left when she had the chance. Where the hell was Callie anyway, she was meant to prevent Alicia from getting into stupid positions where she almost always managed to get coerced into something. Silly horny girl… why the fuck was she practically dry humping Baby Boy on the chlorine saturated floor! Rolling her eyes she pulls herself out of the pool, grabbing Callie's foot, dragging her off of Tyler before she actually did something no-one wanted to bear witness to. Grabbing her clothes up off the bench she makes her retreat into the dressing rooms, she needed a towel and Callie probably needed a cold shower.

Ten minutes later the girls were back outside, Callie cursing loudly about the cold. The shower had proved unnecessary after all.

"It's two in the morning, live with it…"

"What are we living with?" asks Reid as he and the others emerge half dressed from the dark building. Seriously did they not feel the cold or something, an unbuttoned shirt slung over the shoulders really wasn't going to prevent hypothermia, especially when body underneath was still soaking wet. At least Pogue had put his Jacket over the top.

"My undying need to have a fucking foursome with you three" Alicia deadpans.

"Kinky…" Pogue smirks, raising his eyebrows suggestively at her.

"Ugghh, your worse than he is" she says, elbowing Reid who had yet again draped an arm over her shoulder, though the ass biting cold prevented her from pushing his warm torso away. Honestly did she look crazy? Don't fucking answer that.

"Sooo, we'll see you two tomorrow, pick you and Callie up at about 7.30..." Caleb grins.

"Why?"

"The bet, we owe you dinner…"

"Oh Yeah… the bet, I think you have some keys you wanna hand over".

"Damn I was hoping you'd have forgotten…" he frowns, though his smile never faltering as he tosses her the keys, "It's the silver one next to Tyler's hummer, please be careful with it, I just got it sorted…"

"Why? Did you let Reid drive it?" she jokes.

"No…my mum backed her Bentley into it…" he says with a grimace, remembering how he found his mother slumped over the wheel, drunk as usual.

"I'll be careful with it, I promise" she winks, pocketing his keys, before tearing Callie away from Tyler's mouth. Again. "Bad Baby Boy" she chuckles, seeing the look he shoots at her, before shrugging off Reid's arm, most reluctantly. Why the fuck she didn't wear a coat she didn't know…it was pissing November after all…at least it wasn't raining… yet. Waving her hand in the air, she signals their departure to the quartet; who had taken to berating Tyler; desperate to collapse into bed.

"So much for never bothering me after Monday" she sighs as she buries her face into her pillow.

A/N:- Okay there you go…Tell me what you all thought. Click that little blue button down there in the corner, and feed my growing dependency on reviews…I'm going into withdrawal…


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer:- Okay my lovlies, you know this stuff. I own nothing…It would be fun if I did, but as fate would have it…NO…

Okay my thankies bit…

XXBabyGirlXx - hope you still aren't grounded and I am glad you enjoyed the last chappie, even with my alterations… hope you like this one…

Silent Tears - hey Al, to be honest I have no idea who I want her with, I am starting to lean towards either Pogue or Reid. I haven't really done a story using either of them yet. And baby Boy is already taken… LOL. Hope you enjoy my update…

LiveInTheMomentGurl01 - I think that's right… I agree, and I'm the author, they do seem to have a good rapport going at the mo don't they… I hope you like the update.

Texastwostep - thank you hun, hope you continue to enjoy my story…

Purple angel - I am a big fan of comedic undies, It was only a matter of time before they got busted…naughty little buggers, I am trying to make Ali have a good friendship with the sons, it is important for what is going to happen. I have finally decided where this is going…Now I just have to write it… Glad you enjoyed my funnies, I was having a Hmmm moment when I wrote that…Ha Ha.

SkyyRyder - Haven't we already had this discussion Ha Ha… I am leaning towards either a Reid/OC or a Pogue/OC, not sure, should be 'entertaining' either way. LOL hope you like the update…

Nomanslandvicki - glad you liked the last chappie. Here's the next one…

* * *

Well after yesterday's spectacular fucking entrance, Today's was certainly more agreeable.

Sure, half the school's student population had congregrated at the main doors, undoubtidly waiting for some sort of an encore. And really who was Alicia too disappoint. Only this time she was going to do it in style. How ? If arriving at school arm in arm with Callie, in Caleb Danvers' car - Without the boy fucking wonder; wasn't a big fuck you to 'Kate' and her posse then what the hell was!

As expected her arrival had done nothing to quell the flow of gossip. If anything it had served to actually speed the process up. By the time she finished spinning in her locker combination it seemed the whole fucking school was talking about her arrival. That was the one thing that remaind a global constant during the turmoil of being educated. The gossip queens and their chronic verbal diarrhoea. You could always count on them. Really did they have nothing better to talk about? It was a wonder to Alicia how they spawned such vivid rumors from the very limited public interation between her and the Sons. In fact if the rumors hadn't been about her she would have probably been impressed.

During a two minute pitstop in the bathroom she had heard no less than three different rumors about herself and the sons. It's amazing what one can discover about ones self from the confines of a toilet cubicle. First of all she found out about an apparant crush bordering on obsession Caleb had on her; which was rather funny considering the only thing Caleb frequently wanted to crush was her windpipe; he had heard her car had gotten wrecked at Nicky's and had given her his, desperatley vying for her affection. Another was that she had hooked up with Caleb behind Reid's back, and driving his car was just a way to rub it in. Did people actually think she was with Reid to begin with? Knowing the freaks in this place, probably. Stupid fuck wits. Maybe that would explain why his fan club had been sending her hate mail. It's kind of funny really don't you think. A regular guy, even a total asshole like him having a genuine fanclub. Seriously they even have a PO Box. And last but not least, her personal favourite was that she had had a midnight orgy in the pool with Callie and the boys last night. Apparently someone had seen them leaving the pool house. Did people really think she would spread her legs for anyone? Maybe she should reconsider hanging out with Callie, who had during the course of their aquaintance actively screwed almost a dozen different guy's, a bakers dozen if you included Tyler. Okay. Time to stop refering to Callie's fuck buddies as food groups. It wasn't healthy. It was upon hearing that one she considered her reputation at Spenser offically destroyed. Not only was she associating with them she was shagging them as well. Oh joy. The sarcasm.

A solid three hours later and Alicia was ready to strap herself to a rail track and be done with it. Of all the mind and ass numbingly dull ways to spend a morning that had taken the piss. Had she not had to spend practically the whole time hearing about her suppossed exploits and rapidly deminishing reputation it may have not been so bad but no, fate hated her remember. She had arrived a whole fucking minute late to Geography and had ended up sandwiched between the gossip girls and the biggest bunch of scumbags ever. Apparently the girls had known all along she was a complete slut and the guy's were somewhat openly rejoicing the fact. She was sure she had been refered to as 'a kinky piece of ass' at some point. Yay. Really.

After Geography she had trudged half heartedly into World history class, why the fuck Daddy deadrest had signed her up for this class she didn't know; who gave a fuck what some nut job did 300 years ago, pointless waste of time if there ever was one; only to find herself being screamed at. Again. Truthfully she was starting to think someone had tattooed 'Yell at me I like being the center of attention' to her forehead. In fact had it not been her lecturer; redfaced and spit flying; she would have pulled her compact out to check. It would appear he noticed her absence yesterday and was now in the throws of demanding she waste her free period later to come and make it up. Yeah, because that was going to happen. He could go fuck himself.

"I can't, I have swim tryouts, apparently the swim teams captain thinks I look sensational half naked and is insisting that I sign up" she grinned at him, a laugh threatening to erupt from her mouth upon seeing how well he impersonated a tomato. She knew he wouldn't send her to the provost, God he would shit a brick if anyone dared mess with his precious swimmers, even the prospective ones. The schools prestiege rested on the swim teams successes.

"Sit down…and ensure that you borrow someone's notes" he snapped through gritted teeth "and do NOT let it happen again, I don't take kindly to pupils skipping my class".

"If it makes you feel better Sir, it was nothing personal, I was absent from all my classes yesterday... Cramps you know..." she says, stifling another laugh as the other students in the room snicker at the ongoing interaction between harrassed teahcher and smart assed student. She was in the shit anyway, so she may as well have fun whilst there. At least this time she managed to get a seat away from the gossiping that time around. She had ended up sitting next to some guy, who looked annoyingly familiar. You know that feeling. When you recognise someone but where you know them from you can't remember. Well she had that feeling the whole lesson. All nintey minutes of it. She was sure she had seen him around at some point, not too long after she arrived in Ipswich, not since then though, maybe someone had died and he had taken time out, morbid yes, but even a really good vacation couldn't last several months... could it? Just as she was about to ask him where he had been, he interupted her, she had missed the bell and everyone was in the process of leaving. God she really hated spacing out like that. Scrapping her stuff off the table and depositing it into her bag she joins the throng of people trying to flee the class, only to be halted by the blonde shadow from yesterday.

"You should be careful around them, you don't know what you are getting yourself into" she warned in an almost threatening tone, before walking away.

"Oh yeah, off her fucking rocker that one" Ali mutters shaking her head.

"That's Caleb's ex, Sarah, they broke up a few months ago, they were only together a few weeks, before he ended it" mystery guy informed her.

"Yippee for her" Ali mutters, shoving her way out of the door.

Having managed to manuver her way back to her locker in relative peace she had her momentary reprieve thwarted as a deluge of roughly folded paper and hastily written notes fell out at her. Grabbing them off the floor she noticed that for the most part they were hate mail; what a surprise;, warning her away from the Son's, mixed in there were also several offers to hook up with one of the gonorrhea goons - yep she had named the scumbags - she also noticed that each of the sons had managed to learn the location of her locker, apparently they had also heard the same rumours she had. Caleb had written that despite his wanton lust for her he still wanted his keys back on Monday, Pogue had asked for a formal invitation to the next orgy as he had blinked and missed the last one, Tyler had written to her telling her that he had never been left so horny in all his life as she had left him last night and Reid, well yes. He had asked if she could really hold her breath underwater as long as he had been hearing. And just so she didn't miss his meaning he had drawn her an explicitly detailed picture. That asshole could probably make a strawberry blush. If the last doodle he sent her way was merely inappropriate this one would more than likely get him expelled. Though she had to hand it to him, he definitley had a talent for anime.

Swinging her locker door closed with a thunderous clatter she slumped against the door, sliding down to rest her head upon her knees she made a solem vow to herself. If the little blonde git even attempted to get in the pool with her later she would physically unman him slowly and painfully.

She knew breaking into the pool last night would come back and bite her in the ass one way or another. Maybe she could just not go to the tryouts and take her chances with her incensed history lecturer... or not.

Tomato man didn't seem very forgiving earlier did he?

* * *

Okay, I know it's short again, I suck, we know this...but…I have just decided where this is going, so a little jiggling had to come into play…sorry.

Remember to R&R, your reviews are the kick in the ass that keep me writing. I love em…I love em, I love em… (you get the idea).

So be wonderful, click the cute little button and tell me what you all think…


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer :- Okay I don't own anything you recognise, just my own peep's and plot…

A/N:- Okay first and foremost. I'm sorry, I am such an evil writer. I haven't updated in ages, and this chapter isn't as near as long as I wanted it. I feel so guilty about not updating I am posting this in an attempt to gain forgiveness. Please…

I am already working on the second part of this chappie… yes it's in two parts… I just needed to update…

Okay some time for the thanks…

**xXBabyGirlXx** - glad you liked it, even with the changes. I read yours, but I have to say you are worse for updating then I am…ha ha. How's your update coming along?

**gizmos sidekick **- thank you, thank you very much (Bow's). Hope you enjoy this little update, R&R let me know…

**Liveinthemomentgurl01** - okay I am just gonna blush, sending you imaginary cookies right now. Thanks for R&Ring…

**SkyyRyder** - there you go sweets, just for you, I though I'd share just a little, ha ha…

**Nomanslandvicki** - rumours, just like school, I remember them too well ha ha.

Glad you liked the last chappie, hope you enjoy this one too…

**purple angel **- thanks hun, hope you enjoy this one as much as the last…

Now on with the story…

So the hour of reckoning had finally arrived. Here she was skilfully excavating a fucking bathing suit from her ass, threatening to exterminate the butterfly's that had taken up residence in her stomach. Grabbing a towel and a new swim cap off the shelves, Alicia let out a mournful sigh. Her fate was sealed. She really was about to try out for the swim team. In light of recent events she could only imagine how much this wasn't going to help.

Sure she had put careful consideration into not trying out, hell she had even been halfway back to the dorms when Caleb had rang her, apparently he had predicted she would do a runner and had seen fit to leave his kit accidentally on purpose in the trunk of his car. Prick.Dejectedly she had turned the car around and agreed to meet him outside the cafeteria, where, with a pronounced glare of loathing she had thrust his bag into his chest and walked on by him and the other three, who were all grinning like Cheshire fucking cats.

Was the prospect of serving the rest of her academic life in detention really so bad?

Fine. It was. In fact the only thing propelling her closer and closer to the locker room door was the mental image of her rabid professor. If that wasn't a proverbial kick in the ass, she didn't know what was. Rolling her head on her shoulders one last time she attempted to swallow the bile that had risen up in her throat. She knew why she felt it, she just wasn't prepared to admit it. She definitely wasn't nervous about her swimming capabilities. She knew she was good. Modesty was not a problem for her.

Curious about the fluttering? Want to know why she was hesitating in going out that door? Her attire. Yep. The only thing preventing her from reaching out and turning the fucking door handle was a bathing suit. Why? Have you seen it?. Ughhh. It was hideous. When she made the team this was the first thing to go. The disgusting article was enough to make a supermodel look like a heifer. So she, the basic woman, was doomed. Not that she was worried about looking good for anyone. Her reputation may have disappeared down the toilet, but she still had her image to uphold. And this shitty blue thing, that was again racing up her ass was doing nothing to help her out. Sure it clung to ever curve she had, sure it showed off her assets but that was about it. Hell she could almost forgive the girls team for sucking so bad. They had been competing in this poxy thing. How was anyone supposed to focus on achieving a best time when the were performing rectal archaeology on a bathing suit every two minutes.

What she wouldn't give to have a dick right now. And not in that way either. Being one of the guys right now would be perfect. The damned shit they were wearing made them look like they had just fallen out of the pages of GQ for fuck sake.

Everything about today completely sucked…except maybe the car…

Taking a deep breath, bracing herself for the next few hours she summoned every last scrap of dignity she could muster and followed a giggling parade of girls out of the door.

Caleb was definitely not lying. The majority of those trying out were girls. How she had not noticed them all in the changing rooms was beyond her. Almost every seat was occupied by girls ranging from freshmen to seniors. Did they not realise the were making idiots out of themselves? And for that matter showing up those who were actually good enough to make the team.

Sliding down the wall behind her into a crouch she looked around the room, rolling her eyes in disgust at the blatant ogling going on. Not that the lads seemed to mind of course, but still.

Scanning the crowd, a small smile creeps onto her face, maybe fate was finished fucking with her. She couldn't see them anywhere, maybe they had already done their thing and left. She could just swim, make the team and get the hell out of there. Happy with this notion, she closed her eyes and let her head fall back onto the wall behind her, content with listening to the babbling echoes reverberating around her, waiting for her name to be called.

Which was gradually becoming more and more difficult with every minute that passed. What, and more importantly who the hell were the silly cows talking about. Opening her eyes but not moving her head she strains to see who they were talking about. Whoever it was was lost to her blind spot, if she wanted to see she would actually need to move. Nah, not worth it, she decides clamping her eyes shut again.

It was barley three minutes later that her feline side got the better of her. Stupid curiosity, that shit could get a person killed. Tilting her head forward and lazily opening her eyes, she follows the direction of the unabashed lusting. Her decision to do so was instantly regretted.

Apparently fate was laughing at her. Pissing itself probably.

There he was. One of the sculpted Adonis from the pool last night. Doing his best to keep the wall behind him from collapsing. Typical. Creasing her eyebrows into a frown, she lets Caleb's voice creep out from her memory, she understood what he meant about not getting anything done. Hell she had a passionate disliking for all of them, well semi - passionate, especially him, but even she couldn't help but look.

Turning her lips into a lazy smirk she observed him as rake his fingers through his dripping wet hair, only to have it fall right back down the second his hand leaves it. Why he bothered was beyond her, it was never going to work, his hair was destined to hide his eyes. Shame really, he had nice eyes, they had that mischievous spark behind them. 'Ughh', she groaned involuntarily, she was starting to sounds like a Barbie right now. Pulling her eyes away from his face she watches a droplet of water fall from his chin, snaking it's way down over his chest and stomach, before it is lost to the towel, draped lazily around his narrow hips. Before she can stop her reaction she feels her teeth bite down on her lip. Hard. God girl get a grip. Shaking her head she looks up to his face, and freezes. He was watching her, his hair was finally pulled back out of the way. He was watching her, watch him. A stupid lopsided smile playing across his face.

Shit.

After a inner debate that lasted less than a second she returned his smile raising her brow as his smile widens. Just because he was a prick it didn't mean she couldn't appreciate the view. Sliding back up the wall, she drops her swim cap and towel on the floor, and walks slowly towards him, repeating the hip swaying of last night, knowing full damned well that he was watching her every move like a hawk.

"So… you decided against high tailing it back to the dorms then?" Reid asks, his surprise lacing his voice.

"What can I say… your proposition appealed to me" she says, letting her eyes roam playfully.

Frowning at her for the briefest of moments, his mischievous gleam intensifies "So seeing me almost naked appealed to you…As if there was ever any doubt…" he grins.

"Actually, it was the mountain of homework vanishing" she says grinning, watching his grin turning into a smirk.

"Keep telling yourself that".

"Hmmm…where are your butt buddy's… I thought you lot were attached at the hip?"

"It's just me and Caleb, he was talking to the coach about your try out" Reid say's nodding in the direction of the coach who was standing alone, feverishly scribbling on his clipboard " Well he was…"

"Hey Alicia, I'm glad you made it" a voice sounds from behind her, turning she sees him flash his killer smile.

"Of course you are" she say's deadpanning. Why did they have to look so good?

"Well…. I am after all madly in love with you" he say's winking at her. It really was too much to ask for them to keep their mouths shut.

"So does that mean I get to keep your car after all then?" she says smiling at him, a teasing looking gracing her features.

"No amount of love could separate me from my car..."

"Shame…So when do I get to try out?"

"Just a few minutes, I have convinced the coach you will make the team, so he is going to put you up against me and Reid, that way you don't have to spend the rest of the evening racing against this lot" he says nodding his head to the now over flowing bleachers behind him.

"Okay… I'm just gonna go find my towel and that stupid hat…." she announces, before walking away muttering about condom's, and shower caps. After all if wearing a condom was as uncomfortable as the caps she finally understood.

"That girl is completely mental" Caleb say's as he and Reid watch her walk away.

"Yeah, but she's my kind of mental" Reid chuckles.

Having the cap pulled almost completely on she hears the coach yell her name. Time to show them how it's done, she grins. Tucking an errant tendril of hair under the constricting rubber, she joins the boys at pool side, giving a brief glance at the coach she nods indicating that she is ready.

"Alright on my whistle…" the coach announces, turning his attention to the clock, waiting for it to reach it's starting point.

At the whistle they all dive, matching each other stroke for stroke, it isn't until they are on the return lap that Caleb inches forward, leaving Ali and Reid matching each others pace perfectly.

Caleb reaches the wall first, barley half a bodies length in front of them, Ali and Reid reach the wall together. It isn't until they vacate the pool the that crowd seems to find it's voice, the coach more importantly.

"Well… It look's like we have found the new girls swim captain, well done…"

Unable to hide her smile she thanks him, she may not have wanted to be on a team to begin with but she sure as shit wasn't about to turn down Captain. Feeling an arm wrap around her waist she turns her attention back to Reid and Caleb.

"So… Captain…" Reid grins, pulling her closer to him, securing his grip on her middle. She really had to stop him doing that. No wonder there were rumours.

"Well I am officially impressed, I knew you were good enough to make captain, but to make it based on a tryout…that's impressive" Caleb grins, draping his arm over her shoulder. Talk about adding fuel to the fire. Deciding against shrugging them off, she can't help but fan the flames. Wrapping her arms around the waists of her chaperones, she mimics Reid's earlier comment " Was there ever any doubt?".

"None…" Both Caleb and Reid agree, leading her towards the locker rooms, the crowd parting like the red sea..


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer:- Don't own bugger all, not a sausage…

A/N:- Okay, I am a bad bad bad updater, mucho apologies and cookies for all. I have been semi dying, seriously. I was totally infectious and everything. Anyway, If you want to see a piccy of said dress take a peek on my myspace page's piccys section, found the dress in Blue Banana in Plymouth. Loved it so I'm using it…

"Sooo….Your a swimmer now huh?".

"Shut up".

"Yes Captain."

"Callie…" Alicia threatens, her voice dropping to almost inaudible. That damned girl just didn't know when to fucking stop. Maybe if Alicia dropped her in a vat of boiling tar she would get the message.

"Oooh, someone's touchy"

"Eat Me".

"Nah…your not my type" Callie shrugs.

"Ha Ha…your funny…really". Don't you just love sarcasm. It was rapidly becoming one of Alicia's favourite things.

"I try…" Callie's too apparently.

"Ughh, I am so not in the fucking mood right now".

"I would never have guessed…What's wrong?"

"Now what could possibly be wrong with me? Let's see... I just got to walk across school campus with Reid and Caleb draped over me, which I'm sure has provided the gossip queens with more fodder than even they can handle, Umm I'm swim captain for a bunch of Hyper fangirls oh and to top it all off tonight I have -"

"Your date with the sons of Ipswich" Callie says, her grin wide enough to put the Grinch out of business.

"You mean our date…"

"Ahhh, Nope. Your flying solo tonight I have to work…"

"Since when?"

"I left you a post it on the door…some where…" Callie says searching through the coating of multi coloured paper, covering every inch, failing miserably to find her illusive note. Talk about a needle in a hay stack, that door was a bloody fire hazard in the making. "Hmmm, I'll be…where the hell…Hmmh, maybe that was what was stuck to my lil' cupcake this morning…"

"Cupcake?"

"Tyler…duh…"

"I'll repeat…Cupcake…"

"Well, they are my favourite kind of dessert". Callie grins.

"You have problems…big ones… you know that right…"

"I know…my shrink has been telling me that for years…according to her I'd be easier to treat if my addiction was of the food variety…but whatever…I happen to enjoy variety in my…diet".

Rolling her eyes, Ali chuckles at the seriousness of her friends statement. If there was one thing that you couldn't fault with Callie, it was her honesty. That girl had a really bad problem when it came to….food.

"What you wearing?" Callie asks pulling her out of her musings.

"Clothes…"

"…" Callie simply glares, causing Ali to roll her eyes again. Time to take her derision up a notch.

"Ughh" Ali huffs, "This…why?" she says pointing down to her green footless tights and her cute black corset mini dress, which had take the best part of fifteen minutes to lace up. She had actually prided herself on the fact that she hadn't let dinner with the Sons of Ipswich freak her out. Anyone else and they would have probably spent a whole lot of time and a great deal of effort into getting ready. But Alicia wasn't anyone else was she. She had showered the chlorine away, dried her hair, adorned her face with make up and grabbed the one thing she hadn't had reason or chance to wear yet. Granted her dress sense wasn't exactly conservative at the best of times, so why should dinner with the sons be any different. Pausing for a brief moment she realised that she never dressed according to occasion, she simply wore what looked good. The only other person in Spenser she had seen to share her blatant disregard towards wardrobe etiquette, and the realisation of their commonality caused her to shudder, was Reid. Beside if the Caleb didn't like her ensemble he could go shag a goat, it wasn't her idea to go to dinner she was more than happy to go to Nicky's and get trashed.

"You can not be serious!!! They won't even let you in the fucking door" Callie shrieks, her eyes practically falling out of her head..

"I am as serious as a fucking heart attack, and they will let me in…I am going with the boy wonder and co…remember" Ali smirks, grabbing up her purse and Caleb's keys.

"Your leaving, already…someone's keen…"

"Bite me bitch…"

"Maybe later… why you going so early?"

"I feel the need to clear the mountain of shit that has accumulated in the back of boy wonders car. I think Caleb may shit a brick if he finds the remnants of my junk food addiction." It was shocking how much she had horded in less than twenty four hours.

"Probably… What shoes are you going to wear?"

"My vans are still in your car…" Ali shrugs as she walks out the door.

"Bare pinkies…How very Joss of you…"Callie muses. Only to receive the bird as Ali pulls the door closed.

"Love you too" she shouts, before flopping down on her bed ready to enjoy an evening watching trashy re-runs. The thought of being in a confined space with those four particular guys and Ali in the mood she was in, wasn't exactly appealing. Ali would forgive her later she was sure…or not.

That was half an hour ago.

Here Ali was, threading Caleb's car smoothly through the intrinsic twists and turns of the long forgotten Ipswich. The roads leading to the real world. The one with filled with bright lights and deafening noise. The one that didn't have a persistent fishy aroma. Seriously the whole of Ipswich was coated in a thick shroud of fog and fish stink. It was like living in a bad fucking episode of Scooby Doo, minus the flesh eating zombies. She hoped.

When she had first arrived in this backwater town she had been told that she would get accustomed to the smell, but no… Here she was three months later still suffocating on the same old reek.

Thankfully one of the four bodies filling the remaining seats in the car, had bathed in cologne and their scent was hiding the stale stench of Chinese food, Ali hadn't had chance to get rid of. They had arrived early. Apparently they just looked good all day long, and it hadn't taken even half as long for them to get organized as it had her, she had only just thrown the last of the trash in the bin when they had shown up. Apparently Cupcake had seen her down at the car. They had arrived dressed in smart trousers, shirts and jackets, with the exception of Reid who had opted for a pair of his usual jeans and an atticus t-shirt instead. She was sure the jacket was added by Caleb. The overall effect was actually rather pleasing to the eye. Apparently he liked her attire as well. No sooner had they arrived, Reid had taken up a position behind her, tracing his fingers along the ribbon criss-crossing her rib cage, before grabbing her waist, pulling her back to him, muttering in her ear that she looked good. That boy was way to touchy feely. She was glad Caleb had thrown his ass in the back. Apparently a horny Reid was an annoying Reid.

But…Anyway back to the roads and the current state of affairs. With the vast array of gasping and yelling being omitted you'd think she was torturing them or something. What were they…scared or something. Boy's, Guy's…Men whatever. Fucking Pussy's the lot of them. The only one who wasn't pissing himself was Reid, he actually seemed to be enjoying the experience. Maybe slamming him into doors was something she could add to her growing list of favourite things. Talking of which she needed music, where the fuck was her iPod, she had discovered that Caleb's car had a port she could plug it into.

Where the fuck was it, if she had to listen to Reid's maniacal laughing or the other three constantly groaning she was going to pull her bloody hair out. Taking her hands off the wheel, positioning her knees to do the driving Ali turned her attention to the glove box, it just had to be there someplace.

Noticing her current driving position Caleb starts shrieking though his fingers, which had been covering his face, "Holy shit. Ali. Put your hands back on the wheel…Now…"

"Just a minute…" she mutters, continuing her rummaging.

"Do you have a death wish or something ? Pull over, I'm driving…"

"No…Your not…this is my car until Monday remember. And No not yet. Ask me again in a few hours and I'll probably be begging for death…Yes…" she shouts. The stupid piece of technology had been found.

Returning her focus back to the roads she shoves it into the port, the car filling suddenly filling with the beat of 'Basshunter - now your gone', drowning out all the involuntary noises coming from her passengers.

"Finely" Ali mutters allowing herself to fall back into the flow of driving. Increasing the pressure between her bare foot, yeah she never did get her vans, and the accelerator, she pushes the car to gain another twenty miles per hour easily, ignoring the repeated exclamations of Caleb, who was for the better part being silenced by the ongoing music. Chicken shit. Scared of a little speed. At least Reid was enjoying himself. He had attached himself to her waist, wrapping his arms around her from his seat behind. "Way too touchy feely", Ali mutters to herself.

To begin with when Callie told her she wasn't coming, her immediate reaction was to ditch her 'dates', but after careful deliberation that lasted less then maybe three seconds she decided too go. After all her toleration of them was improving, (until she had started driving anyway), Reid had…true to his word refrained from making any overly lurid sexual comments (to her face) and she was, surprisingly and completely against her nature, in an increasingly good mood. Must be a sugar thing… Having the infamous Sons Of Ipswich lavishing her with their attentions may prove to be a pleasant evening. She was supposed to be celebrating, wasn't she?. You couldn't exactly do that whilst some drunk was leering down your shirt at Nicky's could you now?.

Close to an hour later and finally arriving at there destination, a hybrid restaurant nightclub appropriately named Rivals, Ali found her evening kicking off to a perfect start. Rain. Why of all nights did it have to rain tonight. When she didn't have shoes, or a fucking jacket. Pulling the car into a parking bay she waits for the others to get out before she opens her door. Letting out a rather colourful array of language she discovers that the only puddle in the whole fucking lot was under her…Caleb's car. The act of puddle jumping, bare foot usually required copious amounts of alcohol and Callie. Neither of which were happening just then. Besides she was quite sure the restaurant had rules about half dressed girls dinning with filthy rain drenched limbs.

Peachy…do you notice the sarcasm?

Blowing her hair out of her eyes she is about to attempt a record breaking leap from her seat in an attempt to avoid taking an early bath, when a pair of arms reach into the car and pull her out, an arm supporting her legs bridal style, and up against a warm chest. A warm leather coated chest. Biker boy was quite the helpful boy scout after all.

"How chivalrous of you…" she grins, tucking his hair behind his ear.

"I was going to let you borrow my jacket, but I have become particularly fond of your dental additions…so sweeping you off your feet…well ass…was the next best thing I could come up with, besides Reid's had his jacket off for you already ".Pogue say's nodding his head towards the blonde who sure enough, was standing in front of them jacket in hand.

"Thanks…" she smiles, taking the coat, shoving her arms in, not actually caring that it was backwards. At least she wasn't getting wet.

Closing the door with his foot, Pogue's starts to walk towards the restaurant, Ali locking the car over his shoulder, swiftly stashing the key in her bra before Caleb could pinch them.

After probably the wettest two hundred meter sprint in history they crowd into the warm and dry lobby. Which was actually somewhat impressive. Chandeliers, dark purple couches and glass as far as the eye could see. They were greeted by a somewhat disgruntled looking Host. He didn't seem to approve of the five of them dripping wet in his pristine lounge. Ass.

After finding Caleb's reservation the were seated in what could only be described as an indoor balcony overlooking the sea of people in the club below them. Which had Ali momentarily wondering if she had gone deaf. The tell tale pulsating throb of a party in full swing was missing. Whatever they were using for sound proofing, Ali wanted some. Callie had developed the tendency to sound like a sailor with emphysema lately…too many late nights, combined with the generous amount of alcohol that flowed from the patrons of Nicky's. If she coated the bathroom walls with the stuff, and crammed Callie into a sleeping bag on the floor, Ali may be able to restore her sleeping pattern.

The sound of someone clearing their throat snapped her out of her revere, Ali found a menu being waved under her nose by some bored looking waiter. Where the hell did he come from?.

After listening to the monotonous tone of the waiter as he told them the nights specials, Ali quickly settles on Venison steak with a sloe gin and blueberry sauce. She may as well help the waiter reach his specials quota for the night. That an the fact she couldn't be assed to read the menu. Five minutes later, the now harassed looking waiter leaves with their order. Seriously what's so difficult about deciding on what you want to eat It's not like they were athlete's in training or something…Okay fine…maybe they were but come on….five minutes. Ughhh.

Settling on small talk for the interim, they wait for their drinks to arrive, which to hail their arrival Ali proposes a toast.

"To Joint training, and an overhaul of the swim suits".

To which she receives mingled groans and grins. Grins from Pogue and Reid who seem happy with both ideas and a guttural groan from Caleb who had just been reminded of his promise.

"Great…we get to go back to being stalked…again…what fun…"Tyler moans.

"Please tell me…when did they actually stop?" She laughs, remembering all the times she had seen them walking down hallways with random girls ducking in and out of doorways and nooks and crannies trying to follow them. "Talking about stalkers, what is it with you lot and crazy ex girlfriends anyway" she asks.

"What do you mean?" Pogue asks.

"His" she says nodding her head at Caleb "Warned me to stay away from you lot, told me I didn't know what I was getting myself into".

"Did she say anything else?" Caleb asks worriedly, a frown crinkling his brow.

"Umm, nope. Just that I would be safer away from you four. Why?" she asks throwing him a frown of her own.

"Curious is all, but let me just set the record straight, you are perfectly safe with us three, Reid on the other hand…"

"Hey I take offence to that…" Reid laughs.

"You should" Tyler quips, before asking where Callie was.

"Awww, is cupcake missing Cal ?" Ali jokes.

"Cupcake?" Pogue asks.

"Don't ask" Ali smiles, so not wanting to repeat that conversation again.

"Talking about Callie" Reid asks, his smirk making it's grand appearance "is there anything behind the most recent rumours, you and Callie seem awfully…close"

having not heard mention of that particular rumor Alicia decides that the public displays of friendly affection must end Ali raises her eyebrow at him, grinning as she answers " You'd like that wouldn't you?"

"Why'd you say that" he asks taking a mouthful of his drink which had refilled somehow, that waiter was good, Ali hadn't even seen him come back.

"Sophie Parker" she states.

Reid's grin widens as the others chuckle in memory he replies " You heard about that then huh?"

"I heard"

"What can I say, I had to show her what she was missing….I'll show you too if you like…" he winks.

"Nah, I'm good right now…but if you a good boy I might save the offer for a rainy day"., she says, returning his wink, before continuing " what happened to you keeping your mind out of my pants anyway".

"You should have listened to Tyler".

"No shit" she laughs shaking her head at him.

And so the evening continued, the food finally arriving and Ali stubbornly refusing all propositions made during the evening by the four. Especially those from Reid. There was no way she was hitting the dance floor with him, he felt her up enough already without having the opportunity offered to him on a silver platter.

A/n:- TO HEAR THE TRACK MENTIONED CHECK OUT MY MYSPACE PAGE IT WILL BE IN MY MUSIC HISTORY BIT IF NOT THE SONG PLAYING... There you go. I hated trying to get this chapter out, It was a filler one, before things start to happen. Impossible to write. But it is serving it's purpose. I promise to update again soon. Honest. Click the button, tell me what you all think. I would love to see the number 50 before I update again….


	9. Chapter 9

Disclaimer:- Okay, still not owning any of this….Damn it…

A/N:- Howdy peep's, here the next bit, I have something going on in the next chappie, but the one after that is where the plot thickens. I am sooo excited….

I would like to thank greyhaven11, mcflygurl, nomanslandvicki, purple angel, ruggedangel0426, gizzmossidekick, mj and lfjsfosdgfosngsdsf. You lot rock my socks off. Thanks for reviewing.

Now onward….

Slumping down onto her bed, springs crunching under the sudden shift in weight, Alicia let out a weary groan of contentment. Momentary bliss at last.

Ignoring the loud thumping that had just commenced on her door, threatening to shatter it into toothpicks, Ali closed her eyes and allowed her mind to take on it's four year old persona and wonder off like a kid in a toy store, images of the last week cramming her head to almost exploding point, demanding that she remember. Shit, it had been a long fucking week.

Following her 'date' - which she had become highly defensive and uncomfortable about; seriously going to dinner with four guys, what the holy fuck was she thinking ? At least no-one from Spenser had found out about it. Yet - she had found herself escorted back to her dorm by a completely rat arsed Caleb, who by that time had taken it upon himself to sing his own rendition of what was probably, to begin with at least, a fairly decent song. Very badly. At the top of his voice. The jackass had succeeded in waking half the students in residence. So much for stealth. After finally ridding herself of the piss head; who had by then proceeded to whisper loudly to inanimate objects whilst walking to where every the hell his own room was, and flipping off who every had felt brave enough to comment on her arrival back at the dorms she stumbled into her room only to find her traitorous roommate, who was not where she had said she would be, lying passed out, snoring like a whale, in pool of her own spit. The lying fucking bitch. After making the instantaneous decision that Callie had to pay, Ali had known exactly what method of revenge to use, and had made swift work of locating her weapon of choice. Her trusted sharpie. The black one. Can you feel the malicious grin reforming on her face. After graffiting Callie face to within an inch of it's life, she had passed out in a drunken stupor on the floor, still strung up like a turkey at thanksgiving. And that had only been the beginning of the week.

Waking up nine hours later to a deserted room, with what could only be described as a marching band parading in between her ears all she could do was groan and begin a chant that she would find herself repeating throughout the weekend. I hate them. I hate them. I hate them.

After peeling herself off the floor and hauling her ass into the bathroom she had cut her self out of the dress. She couldn't get the fucking knots she had tied last night undone. It was that Blonde twats fault. She had promised herself she would make him replace the laces. If he hadn't undone them in the car on the way home she wouldn't have had to of turned into a boy scout tying every last knot she could think of, just to keep her modesty covered. Having pulled on a shirt that obviously wasn't hers her day had gotten slightly better. There was a note shoved under her door. Reading it she couldn't help the demented rush of glee that filled her veins. According to the provost Callie had taken a weeks absence. Apparently her grandmother had gotten ill and things weren't looking hopeful. The deceitful little tramp. Her Grandmother was beyond being ill and at deaths door. Fuck she had been having tea and biscuits with the grim reaper himself for years. Chicken shit, she had gone into hiding. If she had just come on the date with Ali, her face would have remained untouched. Oh well, at least she'd be having a weeks worth of decent sleep.

Continuing with getting dressed she pulled on her trusty low riders and the gaudiest pair of slippers know to man. Her oh so stunning Sponge Bob Square Pants ones. Walking out her door Alicia quickly decides against the stairs, too much motion definitley wasn't advisable, especially since she wanted to avoid worshiping the porcelin throne today; she pushed the illuminated green button, summoning the lift to her floor. During the thirty seconds it took for the decrepid winch to haul it to her floor she took stock of her attire and finally conceeded she might have a problem. The Sponge had to go. Tomorrow. Right now the need for a double espresso followed by a large Americano chaser was more urgent.

Now for all those who are not Ali you are probably thinking that for a hangover riddled morning things weren't so bad, and you'd be right. Up until right about now. Having brewed and poured a steaming hot double espresso she had been just about to devour it when it had been…stolen…from her grasp. And you'll never guess who by…

Tyler. Cupcake. Bastard. Opening her mouth to yell at him she quickly slammed it shut when the other three 'Sons' made their grand entrance. Oh joy of fucking joy. At least they looked like shit too.

Temporarily ignoring their arrival, she poured herself a second cup and necked it before anyone else even thought of stealing it. Feeling the scolding fluid burn it's way down her throat she et out a satisfied moan as the caffeine began to chase the tequila that was still laughing it up in her stomach away. Drinking slammers with Pogue. Not such a good idea. Apparently he had a second liver or something. Watering down the rest of the coffee into something other than the syrup it had previously been, she had helped herself to the afore mention Americano, before finally acknowledging the guy's presence by asking Reid to repeat himself. Evidently he had been saying something to her.

" I said, I had been wondering where my shirt went, I couldn't remember leaving it behind anywhere...

So the shirt was his then.

"I don't want to know why or how it ended up in my bathroom then…what Callie gets up to is h-" she starts, actually feeling quite pissed that her roomie had been screwing Reid. Why she wasn't sure… but for now… she was pissed.

"I had been wearing it… until Callie ri-" Tyler announces.

"You finish that sentence and you die" she glares, almost gagging at the mental image being produced. Tyler the ass, just grinned.

And that is how her weekend had commenced. Her with the 'Sons'. It didn't really differ much from that either. Following Caleb's suggestion they had spent the weekend overhauling the girls section of the team. Which actually pleased Alicia no end. The fucking fan girls had to go. Sure it meant dropping from an imposing fifteen down to a strong and capable six; but as she had rationalized to Caleb she could live with the bitchy glares from those she had ousted ; it's not like they were going to stand out from the hundreds she was already receiving from the entire female population already; if it meant less public humiliation for her and the team at meets. Fine.

Up until now the guys had been carrying Spenser's reputation, and she was out to change that. She was in this now, liking it or not, and she wasn't about to let anyone especially them carry her. Except for when bare foot in the rain… she added to herself.

Having listened to Alicia's reasons for dropping the girls she had, Caleb had simply grinned at her before diving off the edge of the pool, disappearing beneath the surface of the water. watching him swim away Alicia had found herslef being pulled backwards into another of Reid's embraces, his arms wrapping around her waist as his chin rested on her shoulder. Doing an about turn to face him she was about to give him an earful about the meanings of personal space when he had informed her Caleb's gloating. According to Reid Caleb had known all along that she'd take her captaincy seriously, despite her reluctance to be on the team in the begining. The know it all fucker. Sunday she got her revenge on him though. Arriving half an hour early for practice she and her six girls had surprised the guy's team, who had been in the throughs of warming up. Apparently Caleb had neglected to inform the other male members of the teams joint status. To say in the least the were rather unimpressed with the situation. Too bad. She had just stood back and enjoyed as Caleb had stuttered his way through his explanation of the combined team. So much for being unfalible.

After the physical exertion of swimming half the day and being entwinned with Blondie for the other half ; who by the end of the day Alicia had been seconds away from either chaining to a bed or beating to drowning she had welcomed the wave of darkness that had taken over her that night.

Rousing her attention slightly Alicia noticed that the pounding on her door had finally ceased, whoever it had been had finally given up and buggered off. Closing her eyes again the first memory that leapt in front of her eyes was the dream, well nightmare, she had that night…a topless Reid chasing her through the halls demanding she take off his shirt along with the rest of her clothes and...okay skipping the rest now...not really suitable for her four year old anyway.

Monday came around all too quickly. The new week officially upon her. At least she had gotten her car back. Which in itself was kind of pointless, everyday that week one, usually Reid, or more of the 'Sons' had stopped by her room and dragged her disorganised ass to school in whatever vehicle they were using. And despite herself she couldn't turn them down. You see as she had driven her car back from the garage she found herself missing the kick that Caleb's car possessed. Maybe now would be a good time to take advantage of all that money mummy and daddy were desperate for her to spend and upgrade. She could always have her paint job done on a new car, right? Maybe Reid could help her find something suitable for the newly born speed freak in her. (And before you say it, yes she had washed her mind out with soap for even thinking that). By lunchtime Monday it had become obvious that Callie really was taking a weeks absence. Either someone really was dying or that was a fucking good marker. Maybe Alicia should write who ever made it a thank you letter or something.

By Tuesday she had stopped trying to avoid the 'Sons' at Spenser. It was proving to be a futile use of her time anyway. The pre and post school swim, the fact they drove her to and fro and that they had gate crashed her table every lunch time had seen to that. Oh and to top that off Reid had become closer to her than her own shadow, he either had an arm either draped over her shoulder or wrapped around her waist, which ever wasn't occupied by Pogue, who had also developed a shadow like resemblence; though in his case she was semi - certain that his intentions weren't intentions as such. More so a way to piss of his ex who was stalking him. Seriously she had been turning up everywhere. Scary bitch.

Wednesday and Thursday had actually followed pretty much the same pattern. Wake up, swim, shower, eat, school, eat, get harassed by Reid, school, more school, eat, swim, her I hate them chant, shower, chill out in a room. Though the only variation to that was what room she chilled in. Monday it had been the common rooms, Tuesday and Wednesday had been Tyler and Reid's, which was sickeningly clean. And Thursday she had found herself and the four of them crammed into Caleb and Pogue's. Designing and ordering the new swim kit. The guys were staying the same. I mean who in their right mind would change that, but the girls. Gone was the potato sack. They had replaced it with a matt black, backless one piece, with Spenser's crest inscribed on the high cut hip.

And then the memories of Friday. Today. Pretty much the same, just without the post school swim; someone hadn't added enough chlorine or something too the water and it had couldn't be filtered so they were draining and refilling, honestly she could have kissed whoever had contaminated the pool. Muscles she didn't know she had were about ready to pack up and fuck off, insert chant here; and joint chilling session. She was working tonight. In an hour to be exact.

The door flying off it's hinges, and smashing into the wall sending the neon squares of paper flying through the air like confetti snaps Alicia out her stupor. Callie was home, and boy did she look pissed.

"Use a key much?"

"Gone deaf much? I've been hammering at the door for like ten minutes, what the fuck were you doing?"

"Not deaf. I heard you knocking, I just chose not to answer."

"You are such a bitch…so did you miss me?"

"No…did your grandmother die?"

"Yeah" Callie say's with a mournful sigh, "Three years ago…Why of all the ways to seek revenge for my abandoning you, did it have to include permanent ink?"

"Why of all nights to be a selfish bitch did you have to be one on that night?"

"Touche" Callie grins. Apparently Ali was forgiven.

"I'll give you fucking touche"

"Don't even go there..."

"Why the fuck not?"

"Because...I have spent a week at home with my mother, my mother Alicia… having my face scrubbed off by a Russian pig farmers wife. I haven't had sex of any kind in almost seven days, and I am that horny I am about ready to fuck a bar stool. Oh sorry I forgot to add that I just had to kick in my own fucking door because my room mate is a deaf trout. Am I forgetting anything?"

Letting Callie's deluge of whining sink in Ali almost pitied her. She had met her Mum and there was only one word to describe that woman. Psychotic. Letting a smirk crinkle her face Ali decides to forgive and forget… Callie had suffered enough.

"If it makes you feels better I might know someone who'd be more than willing to help with the horny" Ali proposes. The proverbial olive branch if you will.

"Who?"

"Cupcake, I think he's missed you… he has actually started to sulk"

"Aww, how cute…"

"Sickening if you ask me…."

"I think I might just go say hello…" Callie says, a smile stretching across her face, as she creeps towards the door..

"Not now you aren't…we start work in like twenty minutes so you might want to think about getting a move on."

"Spoil sport".

"Boo Hoo for you… now get changed" Ali demands as she disappears into the bathroom, arms filled with her uniform selection of the night. A bright pink leopard print skirt and a black t-shirt, stating that she used to be snow white, but she had drifted.

Ten minutes later she finds herself dragging a half dressed Callie out the main door of the dorm building. The stairs becoming instantly difficult to navigate as someone calls out her name. Crap, they couldn't have waited until she got to the bottom. Tripping down the last four steps she slams her eyes shut waiting for the pain of gravel meeting knees. Instead she is greeted by warm arms wrapping themselves around her waist, pulling her upright and against a firm chest. That had been happening a lot lately.

"I was just coming to find you…" a voice whispers against her neck.

"Hello Reid…"

"Hello to you too" he smiles, brushing his mouth against her ear, chuckling as goose bumps appear in his wake, "Where are you going" he asks looking at Callie who had finally finished buttoning up her shirt.

"Nicky's… working tonight" Callie shrugs, smiling to herself as she notices that Ali and Reid are still tangled up together.

"Us too, I'm meant to be celebrating. I was just about to come and get Ali here " he says looking down at her smiling slightly " You see it's my birthday and I was going to let you buy me a drink"

"Oh were you now" Ali grins, attempting to pull herself free of his arms, and failing miserably as he easily repositions himself behind her, shuffling them towards Caleb's car, to the patiently waiting trio.

Callie who had been in tow, advanced ahead of them the instant she saw Tyler, determined to scratch her itch and put an end to his sulking. Without even so much as a goodbye they clamoured into the truck and vanished. She was so not riding in that thing ever again.

Giving her a smile in greeting Caleb asks where she is headed, and again the explanation is given.

"Well my dear climb in and we'll escort you there".

"Only if I get to drive…" she smiles.

"Ooh No, I have missed my car, and I am still finding chop sticks under the seats".

"Fine, I'll just take my car…I'll se-"

"Fine…here…" Caleb sighs, tossing her the keys "You drive…"

Unable to help the girlie squeal she throws him an exaggerated grin " Thank you". God she loved this car.

Once they were all in, with Reid upfront next to her, she heads out. After a brief explanation as to why Callie had again abducted Tyler she turned her attention to Reid who was starting to act very…un-Reid like. It was unnerving. Shaking off the uneasy feeling she slaps his leg, pulling his attention from the trees whizzing past his window back to her.

"You should have told me it was your birthday" she tells him.

"Why?" he asks, frowning slightly. Yep. Very un-Reid like.

"I could have gotten you a gift or something… I might of even stretched as far as a birthday kiss" she smirks, goading him back to his bad boy self.

"You know… my birthday doesn't end until midnight…". That's more like it.

"Really…shame you keep your birthday a secret then huh?" she chuckles.

"Tease…" he grins "How about you save me a dance for later instead".

"Deal" she smiled back.

And she does it again. Why don't moments like these come with an alarm or something? Fives minutes of unabashed grinding on the dance floor had better be enough to wipe that look off his face. He looked so troubled, scared even. That was no way to be feeling on your birthday, right? I mean what was it about turning 18 that had him so on edge?

A/N:- There you have it… what did you think, push that cute little button down there and let me know…


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer:- Nope still not owning anything…except my shiny new laptop Santa brought me….

A/N:- Okay please accept my apologies, I have struggled no end with this chapter, it is a bit different to the others but it does have a big part to play later on.

Just a quick thanks to all the wonderful peeps who read my story and much love and invisible cookies to greyhaven11, sc1986, pop tarts, mj, vicki, goodnightmoon7, scillamarie101, and xXBabygirlXx for reviewing. If you want cookies next time, review…pretty please.

* * *

This little expedition was proving to be more exhilarating than she could have thought. It hadn't started out well, considering the fact she had come damn close to slaughtering a bunch of her fellow students at the school gate. In fact if she hadn't ground the breaks to dust, they would have been pureed. Smoothie a la Spenser. Not a popular flavour. Things after that minor glitch had begun looking up though. How? Well she had succeeded in pissing Caleb off. Ever since she found out about his gloating getting under his skin was just something she had to do. Couldn't help herself really. They hadn't even been in each other presence for more than ten, fifteen minutes tops and she had him yelling like a little bitch. A new personal best...damn she was proud of herself. Now you may be asking why Caleb was whining ? Well from what she could decipher; angry Caleb yelling - difficult to interpret; he had one or two objections to her driving abilities, well her breaking ones to be precise. Twat should have been wearing his seat belt, he wouldn't have catapulted between the seats then would he, besides what did he really expect her to do, blend student with asphalt! Now if it had been the stalker bitch…or Reid's fan club who had double there daily hate mail, then maybe she would have considered not stopping but that was just plain mean. Right? Choosing the moment he started to demand his keys back to allow her hearing to regress back to it's earlier state, and ignore his continuing rant she slid the car back into gear and took off. She had a job to get to after all.

As the miles had gone by she had found herself re-developing a crush. On the car. God, she had to get one of these. Or at least lift Caleb's spare keys. She couldn't remember the drive to work ever being this invigorating. Granted ordinarily she wouldn't be going 130mph with the top down, hair whipping about her ice cold face, screaming her bloody lungs raw. At least she wasn't the only one enjoying themselves. Risking a glance to her right she could see the laughing face of Reid, gripping his door handle; his knuckles turning white as the car leant with the curve of the road. She couldn't help but smile looking at him. She had actually become rather fond of the annoying pain in the ass, she knew where she stood with that Reid, the quiet and subdued one was just plain disturbing. This past week she had found herself loathing them all less, not necessarily liking them more, but loathing them less, even Caleb when he pulled the stick out of his ass. They new how to have a good time, she actually caught Pogue getting his freak on with one of the few remaining girl swimmers. The naughty boy. She wondered if he knew it was the provost's niece. Probably…

Anyway enough of the four year old wondering off; how the fuck she hadn't crashed and killed them all she didn't know; she refocused on Reid to find him wink at her, well not to be outdone by him she did the only thing any self respecting girl would have done. She stuck her tongue out at him. He wasn't expecting that, the stupid grin on the little fuckers face said so. And that was the way the ride continued to progress. Shameless flirtation, obscure yelling and laughter dying in the wind and Ali gunning Caleb's car for all it was worth. She hadn't dared use the break pedal since leaving Spenser, she had this mental image of them packing up their bags and fucking off if she even dared too after her earlier misuse, the large neon sign in the distance had her secretly praying they wouldn't though, she had this sneaking suspicion Caleb would attempt to drown her at the next swim meet if she damaged his car. In a bout of cowardice she was actually tempted to just keep driving until the gas ran out, but the small detail of her job being her only source of parental annoyance found her easing off the gas sliding the car into the last remaining space. And it was with the utmost reluctance she handed the keys back to Caleb.

About three steps from the car she began to think she was releasing some unknown pheromone , that was the only logical explanation she could come up with as to why the Sons of Ipswich felt the need to drape themselves over her like a second skin or something. How the hell did they manage to get from the other side of the car so fast anyway? She hadn't even managed to get four feet from the car, before both Reid and Pogue were on her. Reid at her waist and Pogue's arm over her shoulders, Caleb had taken point and was a few feet in front of them leading the way. Maybe she should change her perfume… though you had to admit, walking into Nicky's with three of Spenser's finest was one hell of a way to make an entrance. Every pair of eyes in Nicky's were on them. She hoped her hair didn't look like a birds nest…

They hadn't even had the chance to get to their usual table; yes she had been coerced into joining them during her breaks... and before her shift started... and after...you get the idea ; before they were bombarded by Reid's sodding fan club, babbling on about his birthday. Truthfully it hadn't surprised her that they knew, knowing that bunch of freaks they had probably stolen his personal file from the admissions office. was Reid's reaction to them that surprised her. He completely and utterly ignored them. he opted instead for tightened his grasp on her midriff, glaring at the floor and walking on by. Ali was starting to get the impression that he really didn't like his birthday.

Having finally arrived at their table, ousting a feuding couple in the process she was finally freed from Pogue's arm and only with the assurance that she would indeed dance with him later Reid's too, satisfied with her answer Reid had propped his feet on the egde of the table and began tapping some unfathomable tune on his knees with a set of chop sticks she was sure she had tossed in out…or Caleb's glove box… probably the latter. Saying her see you's to the others she made quick work of notifying Nicky that Callie would be late - her boyfriend was having car trouble -before grabbing an order pad and starting her rounds.

Seventeen orders and three ass grabs later a very red faced Tyler and Callie arrived. The poor boy, he looked tired. Shame for Callie she had a six hour shift ahead of her. Shoving her way through the crowd Ali got to their table just in time to catch the tale end of whatever they were talking about.

"Jealousy….It's an ugly thing" Tyler was laughing.

Okay too much detail right there.

"Oi…bitch…get your ass on the floor, I'm, going behind the bar" Ali half yelled over the din of the jukebox.

"Yeah in a sec…"

"No now…. If I have one more person grab my ass, I'm gonna stab them with my pen, put the cupcake down and move it…."

"Someone's in a good mood…" Callie sulked, tearing herself away from Tyler.

"Eat me" Ali snaps back.

"Nah, I'm full thanks" Callie grins as she takes Ali's order pad before walking away leaving a nauseated Ali shuddering.

Definitely too much information.

* * *

The following three hours passed smoothly enough, the fact Reid hadn't gravitated towards the pool tables probably helped with that. Seventy percent of the fights that broke out in Nicky's were because of him, She counted. After one of the more bloody fights she had asked Nicky why he let him come back if he was the source of the problem, do you know what he told her? He, They were good for business, the girls come to watch them and the guy's came to get one over on them, though it had never happened yet. Looking at them, well Tyler, Pogue and Caleb playing pool, she realised he was right, half the people in the place were observing them.

"You looking for me" a voice asked.

Trust the only time all night she had looked at them intentionally be the only time he had come looking for.

"No…" she shrugs.

"Liar… do you wanna come have that dance, I could do with cheering up" he asks, offering her the best smile he could muster.

Looking at her watch, deciding that she was due a break she agrees, telling him she had to take a few crates of empties out first.

"Alright…" he nod's.

"You can get me a drink while you wait.." she smiles.

"What do you want?"

"A double of Jack, straight up…no ice" she informed him, as she gathered up the first of them.

The unsettling shatter of glass wasn't enough to deter Ali as she dropped the last crate of bottles. It was finally complete. After seven weeks of rebuilding - yep rebuilding - a bunch of nameless Spenser fuckwits had gotten into it back along and smashed the shit out of the last one she and Callie had started constructing, one of them had tossed his mate into it like a rag doll - prick - why these things only ever happened on her night off she could never figure out. But hey, her half pyramid, towering up the chain link fence was complete. The ancient Egyptians would be proud. Cue the theatrical wipe of tears. Nicky could get them collected now…her tribute to Ipswich's piss heads was complete. Time for that drink with Reid, she felt like celebrating. Or not. Walking back towards the bar her path was blocked. Oh yay, some jerk wanted to play scare the waitress. Oh well tonight must be her lucky night, guess who her jerk was. Go on. Guess….

Aaron.

Oh goody. Such fun.

Maybe she should write a book. Your everyday guide to sarcasm… hell it could be a best seller.

"What do you want Aaron?"

Glare.

""I repeat, What do you want Aaron?"

Nasty little sneer plus glare. Definitely preferring the glare right now.

"Going in now Aaron" Ali mutters , trying to side step him, but no luck, he steps in front of her. Rolling her eyes at him she tries to go the other way, but again he halts her progress.

"Aaron…tell me what you want or fuck off already"

Again with the nothing. Maybe he overdosed on creepy tonight.

"Whatever, bye Aaron"

Her motion to bypass him swiftly halted as his hands clamp down on her arms, lifting her from the floor and throwing her back against the wall.

"Aaron…what the …." she gasps, the air escaping her lungs. The mother fucker actually grabbed her.

"Hello Alicia", he speaks, that had to be progress, probably not of the good kind, but still at least he was... kissing her neck. Oh fuck and hell no. Slamming her fists against his shoulders Alicia shoves against him, opening a small gap between them.

"Get the hell away from me Aaron, what the fuck do you think you are doing?"

"Come on Ali…don't be shy…"he grins, repeating his comment from the Dells. Funny how you remember the stupidest things isn't it really?

"Shy!!" Okay this wasn't going anyplace fun, "Get the hell away from me now Aaron, or I swear to god…"

Her threat sticking in her throat as he slams his forearm across her collarbone, the shift in position sandwiches her body between his and the wall.

"Ummm, No. I thought you and I could finish what we started the other night at the Dell's. You don't seem to have any problems putting out for the sons of Ispbitch"

"WHAT!!!, I haven't 'put out' to anyone, them or otherwise. And I sure as fuck ain't starting with you " she hisses back, her fist connecting with the side of his face with a somewhat pleasant slapping sound. Funny how a punch can sound like that but hey, now wasn't the time to be contemplating the merits of a punch.

Okay, in hindsight punching a psychotic drunk man wasn't a smart thing to do, as his gaze turned back to her she could have sworn she had seen fire in his eyes. Oh yeah punching Aaron, definitely not a good idea. She hadn't even begun to process the sting in her cheek or the crimson escaping her mouth, before she found herself struggling for air. In a heartbeat the bastard had moved his arm from her collar, smacked her across the face and wrapped his long bony fingers around her throat, literally taking her breath away.

"Oh, really, well I think it's about time to change that, don't you… so your going to put out, right here, right now." Aaron sneered, rolling his hips against hers, his rigid flesh making his point.

The screaming pain in her chest forgotten the moment his word reached her ears, Ali snapped. Who the fuck did he think he was! Did he honestly think she was just going to sit back and let this happen! Oh that so wasn't going happening in this life time. Mustering up every reserve of strength left in her slowly suffocating body she had left she lashed out at him, gagging as his intoxicated breath washes over her face as his mouth crashed down on hers, she bit down on his tongue which he had forced into her mouth, her fists pummelling every inch of him she could reach. A primal growl escaping her lips as his hand snakes down over her skirt, sliding up under the hem. Hell No. Thrusting her knee upwards she manages to make contact with his... hell she wasn't sure what she hit but it seemed to hurt enough for him to remove his mouth from hers and his grasp on her throat to lessen.

"You bitch…I'm going to make you pay for that" he hisses, his face inches away from hers as he digs his fingers into her neck, nails cutting halfmoon trenches in her bruised skin, her miniscule source of oxygen extinguished again. The immediate return of suffocating pain in her chest and the encompassing darkness weren't enough to dull the feel of his fingers digging into her tighs as he wrenched her legs apart to accommodate himself. Squeezing her eyes shut she tries to banish the darkness, incensed by the solitary tear that escapes her. She wouldn't let this bastard do this to her, she was not going to become a statistic. snapping her eys open she lets out a strangled yell as she feels is fingers hook into the waistband of her underwear. Okay, working at Nicky's had just become the least un-fun thing ever. A body wrenching yank later he had torn her underwear from her. In the lenght of time it took for Alicia to process what he had done Aaron had managed to toss her underwear to the ground, reconnect his mouth with hers and begin to retrace the bruised trail up her thigh. Now on any other plain of exsitance Alicia would have realised by now what he was planning to do, but on this one she had only just come to that conclusion, Aaron was going to have sex with her, he wasn't out to just scare her, he was going to rape her. With that conclusion clicking into place she Alicia saw red. Forcing the tendrils of fear creeping up her spine back to where ever they came from Alicia fixed her eyes on his. She wasn't done fighting him yet. If this was going to happen she would have to be either dead or unconscious on the floor first. Everyone apparently has a fight or flight reflex right, well Alicia's fight one just kicked in. Better late than never, but still. In less than a heartbeat she had formulated a plan. If she was getting out of this, hymen in tact, her first logical step would be to regain the ability to breathe. Moving her hands from their fisted position at his shoulders she refocused her efforts on her neck, clawing the skin of his hands and fingers, ripping open her own flesh in her struggle.

* * *

Having watched Ali disappear out the door for the third time, a crate of clinking bottles propped on her jutted hip he resigns himself to the task of summoning the last remaining bar staff. Teetering on the edge of his barstool he stretches over the bar, offering the girl walking towards him a smile as she asks him his order. Once the order is filled he slumps back down onto his stool, dividing his attention between observing the half frozen, red nosed Ali appearing and disappearing every few minutes or so, another of the crates vanishing with her; he had briefly considered offering to help but she probably would have thrown a crate at him; and nursing his glass, swirling the ice, watching it dissolve into the amber liquid. Oh yeah, he was sulking. It was his birthday, he should be getting laid, wasted or both, not sitting at a packed bar freaking out about events which he had no control over. Events in which he would disintegrate into pure magic. I mean really what was there to be so worried about. Something like that couldn't hurt much? Right? Swallowing the diluted liquid he savoured the burn ebbing down his throat, pooling in his chest, god he needed to get really really drunk. Waving his hand at the girl he reordered both drinks again, apparently he drank Ali's too whilst lost in despair. It wasn't until he was about to swallow his second…third drink he noticed Ali's absence. She hadn't been back in for a while., and all the crates were gone. Swallowing back his drink and taking hers with him he decided to go seek her out, she was probably out back having a smoke. Walking to the end of the bar, losing Ali's drink in a head on collision with a half cut Caleb who was on route to the bathrooms he found the all too familiar back door. If he thought about it long and hard he could probably deduce that it was his most frequented door, well the one he was most frequently thrown out of anyway. More often than not followed closely by some prick demanding his money back. Why they came back week after week was beyond him, he always came out on top. Always. This glimmer of realisation was enough for a ghost of a smile to appear on his face, however short lived it was to be.

The scene before him saw it wiped off in a flash.

It was incredible when you thought about it. The brains ability to absorb thousands of little details in less than a second. Putting them together again in a detailed image. With just a few firing synapses you had an ever lasting memory. Tough shit if it was one you wanted or not. It was there. And what Reid saw he wasn't about to forget, not in this lifetime anyway.

It was the seemingly abandoned lot he noticed first, which unsettled him enough for an overwhelming sense of foreboding to have his power surging through him, his senses evolving to those akin to a dog, it was then he noticed the unmistakeable metallic twang of blood. Almost unnoticeable under the stale wreak of week old beer. But it was there. It was in that moment everything came into focus, like a Polaroid developing in his head. He could see everything. The pyramid of crates that Caleb has tossed him into, the broken lights that usually illuminated the back doors, the torn underwear on the floor. Alicia. Fighting like hell in the shadows, struggling for breath, crimson seeping from her bruised swollen lip, blood coating her finger nails as she desperately tried to tear away her attackers fingers from her scratched and bloody throat. Aaron. His left hand stealing the very life from her, his torso crushing her into the stone wall, his legs holding hers apart, his right hand somewhere Reid didn't even want to think about, his mouth crushing hers in an unwanted kiss.

Time had barley passed into the next instant before Reid reacted. Violently. In the blink of an eye he had cleared the steps and was standing behind Aaron, his hands gripping his shoulders throwing him to the floor, it was in the next that Reid had dropped to his knees pinning the stunned Aaron to the floor, his newly formed fists making contact with every inch of Aarons torso and face he could find. Aaron deftly trying to deflect them and return a few of his own.

* * *

With the unexpected release of her throat Alicia fell to the floor, the rough gravel scrapping at her knees as she hunched over. Pulling in a deep breath she couldn't help the guttorial wail that escaped her, her whole body was on fire, her lungs screaming in pain at the sudden use, the sudden rush of oxygen had her her head swimming and a violent wave of nausea taking over. Risking to glance up during a fleeting moment of visual clarity Alicia caught a brief glimpse of her rescuer. A flash of blonde hair and a gloved fists was enough to have a renewed wave of tears threatening to fall. She had never been so fucking happy to see Reid or anyone else for that matter in her whole life, taking pause for a moment as her vision clouded over again, Alicia allowed her body to recoup some of the lost oxygen it desperatley needed. Once satisfied that she wasn't about to pass out she attempted to gain some composure and stand, the jelly legged affect of almost suffocating however quickly had her wilting to the floor. Resigning herself to the fact she wasn't about to get up anytime soon she settled for kneeling her hands on the floor keeping her from pitching over to the side as her head began to swim again. Forcing down the bile in her throat, which was still trying to escape, she forced her mind to concentrate on what was happening before her. Reid, her rescuer, was poised over the barley conscious form of Aaron, his blood smeared fist raised, ready to deliver another punch. As much dark and twisted satisfaction it gave her to see Aaron taking a beating she knew she had to stop Reid. In a voice barley breaking a whisper she begins to plead with him to stop, for him not to hit him anymore, knowing that words alone weren't enough to make Reid stop of his own volition, she begins to scream, forcing her voice louder and louder everytime he raises his fist, desperate for him to stop. It was when her voice seemed to return at full volume Caleb appeared on scene, apparently he had finished in the bathrooms and was attempting to make his way back to the others, but managing to get lost along his way. Much like Reid he was united with his sense upon seeing his brother delivering blows to an unconcious Aaron and his friend screaming bloody murder for him to stop. Running down the stairs he quickly wraps his arms around Reids middle, pulling him off of the unmoving form before discarding him on the ground in front of Alicia.

Frowning at the bleeding boy at his feet he demands to know what the hell was going on.

Lifting himself off the ground, his chest heaving with exertion he kneels in front of Ali, pulling the trembling girl against his body, his hands coming to rest on her scratch littered back, both soothing and warming her. Ignoring Caleb he instead asks "Are you alright Alicia?"

Welcoming his embrace she clings to him, burying her face in his chest she feels the tears she had been holding back escape her, though in his arms she found herself unable to stop them.

"Reid what the fuck is going on? What's wrong with Ali?" Caleb asked again.

"Not now Caleb, just…" Reid started, but stopped when Ali pulled herself away from him, scrambling to her feet. "Ali are you alright?" he asks again.

Looking around her frantically, she tries to rid her head of the memories of what took place. Being trapped against the wall, being hit, her underwear being torn off, his tongue snaking it's way across her face, flinching she lifts a bloodied hand to her face, trying to wipe away the undetectable saliva she knows is there. Groaning as her stomach lurches forcefully she scans the ground looking for somewhere to relieve the sensation, settling on a drain in the corner she kneels over it, barley hearing Reid ask from behind her if she was alright, hunching foward she mumbles "No…" and finally allows herself to throw up.

"Reid what the hell is going on?" Caleb demands again, still missing the big picture.

Satisfied that her stomach was fully divested of it contents she turns, still on her knees and laughs in Caleb's general direction.

"And I thought you were the smart one"

"Huh?" he asks, frowning at her remark.

"Fucking hell do you really need it spelling out?" Reid shouts as he again pulls Ali to him cradling her this time against his chest, gently tucking her hair behind her ears.

Frowning at them Caleb pauses to take in the scene around him, rapidly putting the pieces together.

"Oh…OH holy fucking shit…Ali are you alright?" he asks as he too kneels at Ali's side, "What the hell happened Reid?"

Opening his mouth to answer he is halted as Callie appears at the door.

"Is this a private party or can anyb-" she starts, her sentence trailing off as she sees a unconscious Aaron, a beaten Ali and a bloody Reid "What the fuck happened out here?"

Groaning to herself Ali buries her head in Reid's chest, grateful that he had his arms around her.

"Aaron happened… I came out looking for her when she didn't come in, the mother fucker had her jammed against the wall, strangling her on one hand, doing fuck knows what with the other one".

"Holy fuck…I'm going to go get Nicky" Callie stutters, stumbling back up the stairs, returning minutes later with Nicky, Pogue and Tyler in tow.

To her own relief Alicia had finally managed to stop crying, her rage having taken over the relief. She was now standing in front of Reid who was examining her lip.

"The police are on the way" Tyler announces as he puts a reassuring hand on Ali's shoulder.

"You alright Al?" Pogue asks.

"This prick just tried to rape her and you want to know if she's alright?" Callie say's, shoving him aside, pulling Alicia into a smothering hug.

"I'm fine…I'm fine honestly" Ali replies pulling herself away from Callie, she had after all managed to avoid having bones broken so far this evening, she didn't need any now. Giving her friend a doubtful look Callie asks "Are you sure?".

"Yes I'm sure…trust me, nothing a good strong drink won't fix…"

Smiling at her Nicky grin's "Now that I can help with", to which he disappears back into the bar.

The next few minutes later sees Ali still wrapped protectively in the arms of Reid who clearly had no intention of letting her go, and her reassuring the others she was alright, just a bit roughed up. It was at this point Nicky returned with a pair of Ipswich's finest. After a short introduction it was suggested that they put Aaron into their car before returning to take a brief statement from Alicia. Apparently Nicky had given them the basic inside. Pogue and Caleb lent a hand in hauling a now awake and volatile Aaron off the floor just to have him knocked back down and back into unconsciousness as Alicia delivered a perfectly placed blow to his jaw.

"Now Miss there will be none of that, I understand how you feel but-"the older of the two officers tells her,

"You understand…bollocks…you have him try and fuck you against the wall and see how much you want to hit him" she spits back at him, flexing her now tender hand, she really hoped the crunch she heard had come from him and not her.

"Hmmm, consider yourself lucky no-one saw you do that alright" he say's with a wink, as Aaron is dragged away.

"That was some punch" Nicky smiles as he hand's over a bottle of Ali's poison, neglecting to give her the glass he had been carrying. He figured she wouldn't be needing it.

Smiling in thanks she unscrews the top and swallows down several mouthfuls of the bitter liquid. Cursing excessivley as the alcohol mixes with the cut on her lip.

Upon the return of the officers she relays everything that had happened, interrupted only by the cursing of the sons and the reassuring hand squeezing offered by both Callie and Reid. Once done the officers request that she go to hospital, just to get the once over, apparently the bruising, cuts and blood red eyes were betraying her declarations that she was fine. Crap. Point blank refusing to go she agrees to go see the school nurse in the morning. The police finally leave with the assurances from Reid that he wouldn't be leaving her alone and that he would make sure she stopped by the station tomorrow to give a formal statement tomorrow.

It was Nicky's turn to be authoritive next as he instructed her to go back to the dorms immediately and not show up at Nicky's for atleast a fortnight, giving him a hug she aggress not to come to work, but omitting the fact that she wouldn't come as a patron, life in Ipswich would become very depressing if she did that. Once Nicky had left she found herself being hugged half to death by Callie, again. Having to express for the millionth time that she really was okay. With her best friend finally convinced Ali made her exit, the sons flanking her around the outside of the building back to the parking lot.

Once standing at the car Tyler set about retrieving his keys, only to have them swiped by Alicia.

"Oi give those back…" Tyler complained.

Raising her eyebrow at him she simply glares. Time to try out a new set of wheels.

"Okay….so your driving…" Tyler smiles raising his hands up in surrender as he climbs into the back with Caleb and Pogue.

Not giving anyone the chance to say anything about the nights events Ali cranks up the stereo and peels the car out of Nicky's. The only thing yelled above the throb of the music 'how long until a quarter to midnight'.

The reply 'thirty minutes'.

* * *

A/N:- Okay so there it was…what do you think, I'm not sure about bits of it… how about you? Remember love and cookies to those who review… 


	11. Chapter 11

Disclaimer:- Yep...still not owning nothing... (sulks)

* * *

On the universal scale of one to ten, Alicia's night was pushing at least a twelve.

When Reid had announced that it was his birthday she knew that an evening of one sided groping and whiskey was inevitable. The groping had been to all along; she was, after all around Reid.

She had not however, expected the persons and sequence to vary so drastically.

If she had been given her options at the beginning of the evening she may have just driven on by, hell she might have even put serious thought into her previous considerations of stripping… Well probably not.

But she would have definitely chosen getting shit faced drunk and mauled by Reid on the dance floor. Given the alternative.

Why of all the idiotic things to do had she decided to get creative. Seriously, building a tribute to drunks. What the hell was she thinking. If she had re-evaluated her decision weeks ago she may have realised no-one would truly appreciate the monument, and that all her hard work and dedication were going to get her was a pain in the neck.

Literally.

Raising her already blood stained fingers to her neck she winced as they cautiously came into contact with all the cuts and scratches, her whole neck felt like it was on fire. After having her larynx crushed by Aaron and then screaming at Reid she was almost positive she could now make a fairly impressive ET impersonator, and swallowing…don't even go there, even the whiskey had almost not been worth it. Almost.

Yep, her evening was definitely pushing a twelve.

In fact the only positive to come out of it was that Aaron had had his ass handed to him by Reid. Who had played the part of 'knight in shining armour' rather well.

Much to her own mortification, she was wrong about him, sure he was the epitome of a bad ass, but he had proved to her that when the shit hit the fan you could count on him. She had a whole new respect for him, hell she might actually have to start liking him. Maybe. If he stopped looking at her. Seriously debating winking at him, just to relieve the tension that had settled between them all, she was halted in the act when she heard mention that her neck was bleeding again. Raising her hand again she feels the renewed stickiness. Crap.

* * *

"Hey guy's, her neck…it's bleeding again…" Pogue whispers, attempting to be discrete, and failing miserably.

"Way to point out the obvious Sherlock, say it a bit louder, they didn't hear you in Hong Kong" Tyler retorts.

"Do you think she going to be alright?" Caleb asks, eyeing Alicia as though she were a bomb about to blow.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean one of our classmates threw her into a wall, crushed her collarbone, punched her in the face, ripped off her underwear, strangled her to almost unconsciousness whilst trying to…rape her just under a hour ago … but here she is carrying on like nothing happened".

"She's probably in shock, she took a beating tonight, mentally as well as physically, she's probably trying block it all out, I know I would be…" Pogue reasons.

"I suppose…it's just…how can she be so calm?"

"I don't know…do you think she's alright?"

"I just asked that!"

"I know…duh…I meant do you think she is in pain? Her neck has got to be killing her, it looks like she got a hiccy from a werewolf". Pogue. The embodiment of discretion that one.

* * *

It was at that particular point of their covert conversation Ali found herself craving three things. Firstly a considerable amount more of whiskey followed quickly be a scolding hot shower, she stank and she was smeared in her own blood. Secondly; on the basis the whiskey failed; a miracle pill that would numb every inch of her from the roots of her hair to the tips of her bright green toe nails, And lastly for the three dickheads in the back seat to develop laryngitis and stop talking about her like she wasn't there.

* * *

He couldn't believe what had happened tonight, what he had seen and done. Walking out that door his world had crashed. He knew what he saw, regardless of who was involved, would have sparked a similar reaction in him, but the fact that it was his girl- Every time he closed his eyes all he could see was Alicia on the brink of oblivion with Aaron's hand up her skirt. It made him feel sick. Enraged. He was well known for his short fuse, but he had never snapped like that before. He had lost control, how the hell his Power didn't take over he didn't know.

His reaction after the fact had bothered him the most though. He barley registered that Caleb had thrown him like a rag doll to the floor nor did he acknowledge him until Alicia had been safe in his arms. Listening to her sob into his chest had broken his heart. He couldn't explain it and trying to scared the shit out of him, but all that had mattered to him was that he was by her side. All that mattered in that moment was her.

It had been later, when Alicia had been hugging with Callie that Tyler pointed out the state he was in, if memory served to be correct Baby Boy's exact words had been 'you look like you just stepped out of a dodgy slasher movie', which he elaborated by poking the large split down the centre of Reid's lower lip.

He wasn't about to complain though, the blood splattered on his shirt, face and hands was testimony to the beating he had handed Aaron, the only remorse he held about it was that he couldn't remember anything after grabbing Aaron's shoulder and tossing him to the floor. Maybe Nicky's CCTV covered the back door…

Looking at her out of the corner of his eye he could see the fixed glare she had had on her face since pulling out of Nicky's five minutes ago.

He wanted to talk to her, ask her if she was alright, but for the first time in his life he couldn't find the words. Unlike his dense 'brothers'. Who were sitting no more than three feet away having no problem finding theirs. Ali was sitting there in various shades of black, purple and red looking paler than him and there they were taking about what she had just been through like they were talking about the sodding weather. He decided it was time to join their conversation.

* * *

"You three morons realise she can here you right?" Reid points out turning in his seat glaring at his 'brothers'.

"Huh?" grunts Pogue, barley hearing Reid.

"Alicia…half drunk…not half deaf"

"Oh…Fuck. Ali…I'm… we're sorry, we didn't mea-".

"Whatever….just don't say another fucking word about how spectacular I look…feeling shitty enough already thanks" .

"Sorry…"

"Stop apologising…" she sigh's.

"Sorr-" Tyler began.

"Fucking hell…"Alicia shouts "Tell me something. Was it any of you Reid caught with his hand up my skirt?" she snaps.

"No…" all three respond.

"Well then stop apologizing…you haven't done anything wrong…Now talk about something else… Please".

"Okay…Sor-"

"You say it Cupcake and I'll tell Callie you have Chlamydia".

The muffled chuckle from beside her brought her attention back to Reid.

"What may I ask is so funny?" she asked.

"You actually".

"How could I possibly be amusing?"

"Not amusing, It's just that after all that prick put you through tonight, your still you in there under all the blood and bruises, I admire that".

"Reid Garwin admiring a girl, now there's a shocker." she smirks.

"I was being serious".

"Even more shocking" she smiles.

"If you were anyone else I would swear you were mocking me…"

"Would I?" Ali smiles innocently.

"Definitley…" he smiles, "Your remarkable you know" he tells her, shocking himself with his sudden honesty.

"No. I'm not."

"If you had been anybody but you, I dread to think what I would have come across back there."

"If you hadn't come out when you did I dread to think what you would have found too, I was so close to passing out Reid, I couldn't breathe, I could feel him touching me but I couldn't sto-"

"I know…" he says placing a reassuring hand on hers, interlocking their fingers; which was somewhat difficult, given that Alicia was driving.

"I owe you Reid…" Alicia whispers, forcing the tears in her eyes to march a retreat. Crying again wasn't an option.

"Damn right you do….you owe me a dance…" he smiles.

"Oh fuck, I completely forgot it was your birthday, I'm so sorry, I was meant to be making you feel better, instead I -"

"Don't worry about it, my birthday blew anyway, in fact beating Aaron to a bloody pulp is the only thing that has made today even remotely bearable" he sighs, flexing his blood stained knuckles.

"Is my company really that crap?" Alicia frowns.

"Oh…I didn't -"

"Fucking with you Reid…fucking with you…" she grins, wincing as her lip reopens.

Laughing in amusement at her again, Reid rummages in his jeans pocket for a tissue, lightly pressing it to her lip.

"I really hope that was clean" she quips.

"Cleanish". he grins impishly.

"Ughh Garwin…your disgusting" Ali squeals shoving away the now blood dotted tissue.

"Joking…. "

"You'd better be…"

"I am, I'm sorry".

"I think it should be me apologising to you"

"Why?"

"I think tonight may very well have destroyed your hard earned reputation as Spenser's bad ass".

"How?"

"You don't see the down side?"

"Kicking Aarons ass, a positive. Being the hero instead of Caleb, another positive. Having a gorgeous girl owe me…a definite positive… Nope not seeing the down side here…"

"Seriously what do you think this is going to be warped into once the gossip queens get a hold of it? Everyone at Spenser is going to have heard some variation of tonight's events by Monday morning".

"And?"

"Everyone will know you punched Aaron out over a girl…that doesn't bother you?"

"Well the last I heard we were back together again so all I was doing was defending my girl"

"Your girl?"

"My girl" he smiles.

Rolling her eyes at him she smiles back. Oh the Gossip Queens were going to love this….

* * *

Settling back into a surprisingly comfortable silence; if you could ignore the hushed conversation taking place behind her that is; she tried to keep Reid's hand from dislodging from hers; just for a few more minutes, not that she need have worried too much, if his unwavering grip was anything to go by, his hand wasn't going anyplace soon.

Curious isn't it, how a simple touch can affect you. Make you feel.

Calm.

Safe.

Comforted.

Though she would never admit it, she needed to feel those things right then. And another thing she would never admit publicly was that she was glad it was Reid comforting her. That it had been him that had found her, him holding her as she had cried. Holding onto her when she needed human contact the most.

Unwilling to dwell on the reasons behind it Ali put it down to the fact she was traumatised and set her focus on the song playing. Though if she had glanced sideward's she would have noticed the lazy smile on Reid's face as he watched the tension ease from hers. Had she not put it all down to trauma she would have noticed the shift in dialogue behind her.

Her and Reid's interaction had been observed by the conversing trio, Effectively leaving them, in varying degrees, gob smacked.

Reid Garwin didn't show concern, he didn't show affection and he sure as hell didn't hold hands. Ever.

Hell, his own mother hadn't had the privilege since he had been seven.

* * *

Okay... I finally did it... I updated...

Soooo, what do you think?

If even 10 percent of all you wonderful people who have put this story on alert review I will physically do the happy dance...

The next chapter is where the fun begins... do you wanna a sample??

As the storm clouds rolled in over head, the first few drops of rain falling Alicia looked to the heavens and screamed "On top of everything else...you just had to make it fucking rain".


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer:- I own something… I own a lot of something's… but none of them are the Covenant.

A/N:- Okay so I know I said stuff would be happening in this one, but I lied…

I decided to put my big event to the vote…

Read this chapter and vote at the end, I will give you all until Wednesday and then… I write…

Big thank you's and special cookies to all you wonderful people who have alerted and added this story, and kudos to those of you that reviewed, you rock my world…

Now on with it…

* * *

The violent spluttering of the engine pulled Alicia out of her comforted revere. Doing a quick evaluation of the dials and gages littering the dash she quickly determines the source of the problem. An untimely shortage of gas. 

Using the last of the shuddering momentum Alicia careered the car to the roadside , her head falling to rest on the steering wheel as a reserved sigh leaves her lips.

"This car really hates me" she groans.

Leaning between the seats Caleb repeats the observation, "I'll get the gas can from the trunk" he mumbles opening his door, his boots crunching the gravel under foot. Sliding across the seat Tyler follows him out, the door swinging closed with a soft thud as he too makes his way around the back.

Disappointedly Reid relinquinches his hold on Alicia's hand as he pushes open his door; climbing out he deviates from the path set by the others, instead going to Alicia's door. Gripping the chrome handle he pulls it open, a trace of a smile creeping into the corners of his mouth as Alicia turns in her seat to face him, a similar smile forming on hers as he extends his hand. Taking it she feels the reassurance his touch gives her returning.

Once Ali is standing by his side, Reid nudges the door closed and leads the way back to the others, his fingers shifting to interlock with hers. The ghost of a smile that had been there becoming more obvious as he feels her squeeze his hand tighter. She wanted him there as much as he needed to be.

Arriving at the back they find Caleb searching the trunk, Tyler pointing out the futility of his actions.

"It's empty. Remember you and Pogue used it to light the fires at the Dell's last week…"

"Great Baby Boy, that's just great. Now what are we going to do?"

"I'll call for a tow or something…" Pogue said, from his seated position in the back of the truck. The temptation of standing idly in the bracing cold was one he had somehow easily managed to resisted.

"Look guy's I'm just going to walk back, it can't be more than a mile… right?" she asks directing her last comment at Reid.

"Yeah about that" he nods

"It won't take long for a tow to get here… we could wait it out in the car" Pogue suggests as he clambers between the pewter leather headrests, eventually taking up a seated position next to Caleb on the tailgate.

Seemingly given up Pogue's suggestion as mere grumbling and complaint, Reid turned his attention back to Alicia, who at that moment shivered involuntary. "You sure your alright to walk back ?" he questions.

"Honestly; probably not. But my need to feel clean is overwhelming everything else right now" she tells him, her teeth clenching as she trembles again.

"You cold?"

"Freezing" she laughs, her teeth openly chattering.

Noticing for the first time she wasn't wearing a jacket; and mentally making a note to buy her one; he untwines their fingers, shrugging off his jacket he wraps it around her. An amused smile forming on his face as he notices the sleeves are considerably too long for her. Deciding against unveiling her hands to the cold air he slides his arm around her waist, pulling her to lean into him.

"Better?"

"Much… but now your going to get cold"

"I have a remedy for that" he smirks.

"What; though I'll probably regret asking; is that then?"

"You, Me and a steamy hot shower… I'll wash your back you can wash m-"

"If you want to live past tonight Blondie you had better not finish that sentence" Alicia warned, shoving him playfully in the ribs, eliciting a groan from him. Apparently Aaron had manage to get more than one lucky punch in after all. Shaking the sleeve back down her arm she moistens the tip of her finger with her tongue, wiping it across his cheek she smears the dried blood spattered there. "You really should consider taking one though...alone..." she muses.

"Spoil sport" he grins, his breath escaping him in a fog.

"I know… Are we going to get moving or are we just going to stand here and shiver our socks off"

"Depends. Is that all that's coming off?"

"Reid Garwin your incorrigible".

"Yeah, but you wouldn't have me any other way" he grins.

"My point thus proven" she says as her body quakes with another shiver.

"Come on lets start walking, before we catch pneumonia or something".

"Oh the Powers would simply love that"

"Powers?"

"Fate… The Divine… Whatever… they hate me".

"Me too…trust me…"

"You hate me?" she frowns

"No… quite the opposite….I didn't mea- your fucking with me again aren't you?"

Nodding she doesn't deny the urge to laugh seeing him roll his eyes.

"So you like me then huh?"

"Apparently" he agrees, nodding his head in the direction they need to be heading he asks "Shall we?"

"Lets"

Switching his stance he slides his arm from her waist to her uncovered hand, taking it in his he interlocks their fingers again, both walking side by side in comfortable silence.

* * *

Offhandedly observing the banter between the bloodied duo the three standing on the sidelines were contemplating the arduous circumstances of which they found themselves in. They had less than fifteen minutes to walk back, take Alicia to her dorm, argue with Reid about having to leave her alone and then getting him as far away from civilisation as possible. If they failed to achieve any of it, everything else that had happened tonight was going to pale in comparison to the nights finale.

Indicating to the others that Reid and Alicia had started the journey back, Caleb stood, Pogue repeating the action before swinging the hatch closed allowing Tyler to lock it up. As the amber lights ceased their flickering display the three hastened their pace, quickly making up the ground lost between them.

Trailing a few steps behind the Sons were untied in a single task.

To watch time.

It was running out.

With every second that was lost to the past, the storm clouds overhead drew nearer.

Every minute brought one of them closer to his predestined fate.

The only flaw in their undertaking was that all of them were keeping a different countdown.

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Okay for the voting, I know the OC's in these stories usually have the Power, but I have really good plot lines either way. I kind of want Alicia to get them ( because how she gets them would be fun to write) but it is for you all to decide… 

Tell me Powers or not for Alicia…

Click the blue button…


	13. Chapter 13

Disclaimer:- Yep… still not owning anything… except a selection of yummy herbal teas…

A/N:- I am the worlds worst updater, I have no excuses, life has just been happening… really sorry…. Really really sorry.

Now then I may have taken creative liberties with my earlier sneak peek. I apologise for fibbing. But after writing it in full it just didn't fit…

Thank you's go to all the wonderful people who have reviewed this story, and to those who have both added me to their alerts and favourites lists. You all made my day.

Okay… now before I cry… onward.

* * *

As the last minute fell away, Spenser's Dormitories came into view. The once beautiful and ornate structure marred by centuries of decay. It's intrinsically carved chimera standing guard; their masks disfigured with time. The illuminated veil of fog shrouding the building serving only to enhance the downcast mood of the approaching five.

Despite the sudden urgency of the footfall behind him, Reid was oblivious. Instead his eyes remained trained on the feet, mere inches from his own, matching his pace flawlessly.

The ice cold fingers tracing invisible patterns over the back of his hand had erased the fear and apprehension he knew he should be feeling; leaving him calm and at ease. In fact in the near silence of the night it seemed the whole world had slipped away.

And he was in no hurry for it to return. In his entire eighteen years he had never felt so content. And it was all down to her. Alicia.

In the past any and every thought of him forming a meaningful attachment; let alone anything resembling a relationship; with someone had always left a sour taste in his mouth; but here he was, actually wishing that time would stand still just so he'd never have to let go. Just her hand in his had him feeling like he was walking five feet off the road's surface; Which for him could be a real possibility. A cautious glance gave him both the reassurance he desired and a hard shove back into reality. Tyler's watch chose that precise moment to announce that it was exactly eighteen years since Reid's birth.

Snapping his head from it's downcast position Reid directs a frantic glance towards his brothers, their ashen faces confirming his fears. Visibly tightening his grip on Alicia, he looks at them shaking his head, "No. It can't be".

* * *

The muted rumble of approaching thunder, pulled Caleb's eyes skyward. An unwelcome tendril of panic seeping through his veins as the star littered sky was swallowed by encroaching cloud.

Standing now in almost complete blackness he lowered his face, his eyes meeting Reid's. Swallowing thickly he gave Reid the only support he could. Instruction.

"Reid. Run. You have to get out of here. This can't happen here".

* * *

Frowning in confusion Alicia looks at the suddenly too pale face of the man holding her hand, "What can't happen here Reid?"

Seeing the already present fear swell behind Alicia's eyes, Reid realised the abject terror etched into his features was doing little to defuse the situation. Coercing them into something slightly more pensive Reid closed his eyes, expelling the breathe he had unknowingly been holding as he did so. He needed to relax, or at least compose himself. For the first time in his life he actually found himself wishing he was more like Caleb. Not a secret he would be openly sharing; ever.

The ability to make decisions, especially those more complex than what coffee to order with his breakfast bagel, was something genetically absent from the Garwin DNA. That's what the Danvers' were there for.

Yet here he stood, on the night of his Ascension contemplating the revelation of a 300 year old secret and an innocent girl's future.

Feeling a hand rest on his cheek, he leant into the warmth offered by it before sliding his eyes open. The genuine concern held in Alicia's eyes made his decision for him. After everything she had been put through tonight, all she had endured, her first and only concern at that moment was him.

In the time it took for a single heart beat his mind was made up. They each got one person. Just one; that they were allowed to share their secret with. It was a choice they all had to make eventually. Caleb had chosen Sarah, though given the circumstance surrounding his revelation it shouldn't really be considered a choice. More an obligation. But tonight was different. Alicia was different. He wanted to tell her, he didn't want to keep secrets from her.

Contrary to popular opinion he wasn't naive, he knew at the best of times he was a difficult person to tolerate, and now with the added burden of his 'secret' her acceptance of him was more than likely going to be impossible. But he _knew _she would. The soft hand cradling his face and the look held deep in her eyes assured him of that.

As a slow smile creeps across his face he places his hand over hers bringing it down from his face, he whispers to her, "I'm sorry you had to find out like this." Before resecureing his slackened grip on her hand he turns to the tree lined roadside, running between them he and Alicia disappear between the moss covered trunks, the others following in close proximity, voicing obvious protestations of her bearing witness to their secret.

"Reid what the hell are you doing?" Caleb as always, was the first to complain.

"You know she shouldn't see this!"

"What the hell are you thinking Reid?" called Tyler, he question more of concern than frustration.

Not hastening his step he shouted back over his shoulder to them "I gave my word that I would watch over her. I promised her I wouldn't leave her".

"This is different Reid. And you know it".

Reaching a small clearing barely large enough to contain the five of them, Reid finally comes to a halt, a panting Alicia by his side, and turns to face Caleb, the determined expression on his face not betraying him. "I gave her my word Caleb. I don't intend on breaking it".

"Guy's what's going on?" Alicia asks again.

Looking into her confused eyes he holds her face in his hands, a small smile flickering across his mouth "I swear I will explain everything to you later. I swear it, but for now I need you to trust me. Can you do that?"

Nodding her reply she can't help the whisper that escapes her "Reid, what's going on? your scaring me".

Pulling her into his chest he wraps his arms around her, his cheek resting on the top of her head he rubs his hand across her sore back, soothing her. " Alicia, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for scaring you and I'm sorry you had to find out like this. I thought we had time… I would have told you, I know I would have… I can't explain now… but later, when we are back at the dorms, I promise I will tell you everything".

Opening her mouth to reply, her words stick in her throat as a vivid white flash of light tears the sky apart. Feeling the first drops of rain falling on her cheeks, Alicia looks to the heavens as the downpour ensues, soaking her and the 'sons' in seconds. Blinking away the icy droplets from her eyes she focuses on the sky above her screaming as loud as her torn throat would allow.

"On top of everything else. You just had to make it rain".

Despite himself Caleb is the first to speak. "Trust me…the rain is the least of our problems" he quips earning a glare worthy of himself from each of brothers.

Shrugging defensively he physically startles when his watch hails the moment they were waiting for. This time not missing a beat Reid takes Alicia's hands again, gripping them assuringly he places them in Tyler's, smiling a weak smile at them he steps backwards into the clearing alone.

Looking into the sky his face was blanched, the features upon it indistinguishable against the vibrant glow as a white thread descended from the heavens. Etching it's path through the night sky it arrived at it's destination, greeted by a muted cry of pain from Reid as it tore through his chest, the force of it alone lifting his feet free from the ground.

As the unceasing torrent assaulted his sense he became distantly aware of Alicia fighting with Tyler; struggling as she desperately tried to free herself, screaming at her captor to help Reid. She had no way of knowing there was nothing they could do but stand and wait. Watching the tears fall from her eyes, knowing they were meant for him, he found comfort in them as another thread speared through the sky striking his shoulder. The unyielding screams tearing themselves from his throat were barley able to convey what he felt inside. Every inch of him, inside and out felt like it was on fire, as his body struggled to accept his Ascension.

Seeing another thread descend he forced his eyes closed. He couldn't bear witness to it anymore, he didn't want to see it coming. In desperate need of distraction; if such a thing was attainable; Reid focused on what he could only assume was Alicia's hoarse voice screaming his name over and over, his mind providing him an image of her, a focal point behind his eyes.

Had his eyes remained open he would have seen the thread's direction veer away from him, it's path changing seconds before reaching him.

Helplessly watching the scene unfold before them the remaining three sons could do nothing as the defected cord of connected with and disappeared into Alicia's chest, lifting her off the ground and out of Tyler's slackening arms. Her frantic cry's turning instantly to screams of unimaginable suffering.

Almost mistaking the renewed screams as his own Reid quickly realises that they have distinct feminine quality to them, opening his eyes they fall upon a scene that by all rights is impossible. Alicia was suspended, barely a meter in front of him, her bruised face contorted much like his own, into something unrecognisable. The thin white light piercing her marred skin inching her ever closer to Reid.

Unable to comprehend the why and how Reid gave in to basic instinct, lifting his arm he reaches for her outstretched hand, weaving his fingers into hers he pulls her towards him, his arms wrapping around her, he closes the mere inches left separating them, her body coming to a halt flush against his own.

He is only vaguely aware of her nails ripping into his flesh as she grips his waist before another two threads descend, disappearing into Alicia's back, joining the already present threads; which seem to no longer content with having a singular destination; as they move freely between the interlocked bodies.

As their unified screams become indistinguishable from one another, the air around them begins to crackle, a blinding white glow encompassing them both. Slowly it intensifies, building to the point of rupture; the energy unleashed knocks the stunned onlookers below to the ground with an echo of groaned discomfort. Lifting themselves off the ground they are barely standing when the intertwined figures collapse to the ground beneath them in a shower of iridescence.

Once granted approval to approach by Caleb the trio make there way over the reforming figures lying prone on the rain sodden floor. Accepting help from Tyler Reid is on his feet before the pigment of his skin has fully returned, stumbling over to the unmoving girl he knocks aside both Caleb and Pogue; who were crouched next to Alicia. Dropping once more to his knees Reid is again cradling a barley conscious Alicia. Running a hand across her face he eases the soaked tendrils of hair from her eyes, smiling down at her as they begin to flicker open.

Relief washes over him as she tiredly smiles back, he motions towards the flanking Caleb and Pogue who help her to her feet.

Once standing, Alicia finds herself wrapped once again in assuring arms, looking up into the face she knows is going to be Reid's, her vision deteriorates as the concerned face before swims in and out of focus, the image sharp enough for the briefest of moments allow her to register an obvious change in his appearance, "Nice contacts Reid, they make you loo-" she whispers before her body pitches heavily to the side; it was with detached senses she felt his arm behind her knees, lifting her free of the ground, and it was after feeling him place a soft kiss to her forehead and his voice whispering that 'he had her' did she finally allow herself to succumb to the darkness.

A/N:- Okay…so do we love it or hate it? I'm not sure and I will probably have the urge to tweak it at some point. Those of you that have been following this story will have noticed a change in the writing style… I would value your opinions on preference. This is the first time I have tried my hand at this style…

I also have just one more question… a vote if you will… Would we like to see the return of Sarah? I think she might make a good companion for Alicia in coming chapter's. especially with some of the things I am planning…

Okay so hit that naughty little button and tell me what you all thought…

Thanks. Ri. X.


	14. Authors Note Again Sorry x

4.2.2009

Okay just a quick note. I am rewriting this in it's entirity. One chapter at a time. I have completed the first two. Please scroll back and have a read, I would appreciate everyones opinion.

I hope that the re write won't take long and you will all be glad to hear that my newest update for this fic is almost good to go.

Thank you for your patience.

* * *

7.2.2009

I have just posted the revised chapter 3. Tell me what you think.

* * *

16.2.2009

Chapter 4 re-write just posted, take a peek :)

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17.3.2009

I updated!!!


	15. Chapter 14

Disclaimer: I don't own the Covenant. I'm merely borrowing them for my and your entertainment. I promise I'll give them back. Maybe…

AN: I grovel at your feet for forgiveness. It has been too long since I updated, sure the rewrite takes time but still… I should have posted already. I would like to thank the 100+ people who have added this story to their alerts, if you all reviewed I would pee my pants! Well… squeal like a moron anyway…

A big huge shout out to JessicaJo, Lostcullen4223, EastAngels2009, Zenrockstar, Amelia, Johnnyfan122, MissMirandaCullen (apologies for not replying, but all will be revealed xx), Aria DeLoncray, Jen, Zoey24, xXBabyGirlXx, Mocha-Java Boost, Black Purple Roses, Jas120 and Greyhaven11. You are all darn wonderful, thanks for the kind words.

Now shall we continue with the story? Yes? Okay then…

* * *

The pale golden light of the fading day cast thin ribbons across Alicia's face; rousing her from her slumber. Refusing to allow the comforting darkness to escape her completely, she kept her eyes closed and instead settled on identifying her location on sound alone.

The distant chimes of a grandfather clock signified that she hadn't made it back to the dorms last night, and the deep rhythmic breathing behind her confirmed that wherever she was she wasn't there alone.

Blindly throwing the covers from her upper half, she sought out the newly exposed arm wrapped securely around her waist; threading her fingers through the coarse pale hair, surprisingly soft to touch, she smiled as she elicited as soft moan from its owner. Easily identifying the body aligned with the curve of her own as that of Reid. Allowing her fingers to continue their descending path, following the crease of his palm, she wove her fingers between his own. Feeling her grasp returned she smiled amusedly to herself whispering to the faux sleeper behind her,

"Reid. Are you awake?"

"Mmmm. No".

Chuckling at his sleepy response Alicia turned to face him, their hands falling, still entwined to the mattress between them.

"Liar".

Confident that the invasive daylight, as faded as it was, was behind her Alicia gave in to her body's urges and opened her eyes, not surprised at the smile tugging the corner of Reid's mouth.

Losing herself in his languid smile Alicia felt something; increasingly familiar; flood through her. Having managed to avoid labelling it thus far, she allowed herself to admit that it was something in the realm of affection.

Much to her own mortification, she had conceded he was devastatingly good looking weeks ago, so lying there face to face with the tussled haired blonde she was both able to appreciate and move past the physical. Observing the relaxed manner of his features she recalled various moments from the past few weeks and days in which he had let his defences down and allowed her to witness a side of him few got the privilege of seeing. Even his 'brothers' seldom saw the person he kept hidden inside.

To everyone around him; his parents, tutors and friends alike Reid was the unflappable sybarite. He was the epitomizing image of the wild child bad boy with no drive or ambition and very little desire to change. To them he was and would continue to be just Reid.

And they would be justified in their reasoning- as she was or had been.

When he had arrived that morning at the garage she had never been so sure of a first impression. She had been certain that no amount of character dissection would prove her initial assessment of him wrong.

At first he had done nothing but confirm her opinions of him, but as the weeks passed by he had wormed his way in and she found herself unwilling to keep him out.

Slowly; gradually; he had revealed truths about himself that left her no option but to forget her judgemental opinions. She marvelled in the man he kept hidden.

He; during one of their pre-dawn strolls towards the pool; had told her how it had taken him years to construct, preen and generally maintain both his image and reputation. If now so close to graduating the mature and grown up side of him was to rear it self he would be ruined. Metaphorically of course; but in an environment where everything was based upon 'old money', name and familial reputation it would result in the end of everything he had ever known.

He had confessed too that he was growing weary, maintaining his extra curricular schedule had become a chore he no longer wished to endure. He was ready for the next step, but he had confided that he couldn't shake his reluctance.

He had until now shrugged the burden placed on his shoulders, to become the man his parents had aspired him to be.

The expectation to not only maintain but to indeed excel in continuing the decades old tradition of carrying the Garwin name in the field of prosecuting law was one of his primary concerns.

He knew that the day for him to bid farewell to his chequered past was fast approaching, that he would have to both embrace and live up to his responsibilities .

They had talked in detail about Universities and Career paths. She had quickly discovered Reid's intellectualism was something Caleb would aspire to challenge. It pained her how much he had kept hidden over the years. It was undoubtedly a hard charade to keep.

Reid's annoyance towards the others and their belief in his blatant disregard at applying to a college was becoming increasingly more obvious to her as time passed. She understood their concerns but she also understood his. They had no way of knowing that he had not only applied to but had succeeded in getting into Harvard. Just as Caleb and Tyler both had.

His neglect in sharing the information stemmed from his need to look out for his brothers. It was no secret that Pogue had yet to be accepted into a reputable college; as was expected of him; and Reid just didn't have it in him to make his brother look bad.

During another of their 'walks' they had discussed what they wanted out of life; after Spenser and University. It came as a surprise to her that Reid had put such a great deal of thought into it. He had shared her desires in wanting a family; his exact words had been that he '_had'_ to continue his family name; but he explained that he wanted to be established in his career before he eventually settled down. He didn't really express a desire to get married but he did concede that he wanted what his parents had; they had met in their last year of school and had been inseparable ever since. He had smiled to himself as he had explained their relationship.

On one occasion; where they were alone in his dorm room; he had tried to explain, albeit cryptically, something in his life, something irrevocable was approaching.

After last night she could only now; barely; grasp the gravity of what he had tried to tell her that night. She had discovered the catalyst behind most of his revelations.

She wasn't naïve, she knew that last night her life had changed irreversibly, she could readily comprehend there was no way back and the possibilities of what her future now held terrified her.

The tickling sensation of something brushing across her cheek pulled her from her reverie, refocusing her eyes she saw Reid had been studying her as studiously as she had been him.

His sleepy calm had been replaced with seriousness; his eyes had lost their usual teasing glint and a frown was pulling at the corners of his mouth.

"Are you ready to hear all my secrets Alicia?"

* * *

Okay my wonderful, beautiful, glorious readers what did you all think? Huh? I can't hear you… Maybe you could review… let me know that way…


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